Fairwater, Torfaen

Fairwater is a community and suburb of Cwmbran in the county borough of Torfaen, in south east Wales, and was built by the Cwmbran Development Corporation between 1963 and 1966.DevelopmentCwmbran was the only new town in Wales designated by the New Towns Act 1946. Cwmbran Development Corporation was formed in 1949 to develop the new town and building of seven new residential areas (Coed Eva, Croesyceiliog North and South, Greenmeadow, Oakfield, Pontnewydd, and St Dials) began in 1951, later followed by Llanyrafon.By 1962, when Gordon Redfern took over as chief architect of the corporation, the increased use of cars had to be accommodated in the layout of further housing estates, and Redfern adopted the Radburn system, used most rigidly in Fairwater (built between 1963 and 1966).Notable buildingsThe remains of Llanderfel Chapel, a medieval chapel important as a stopping point on a pilgrims' route to Penrhys, are in Fairwater. The pilgrim route is now part of the modern long distance Cistercian Way footpath. The remains are a scheduled monument.