Sandfields is a mainly residential district of Port Talbot, Wales. The area is located in South Wales and has very good transport links as the M4 motorway and A48 trunk road runs nearby. The area consists of a large council estate at its heart, industrial areas and a large seaside resort. With the large council estate, the area suffers something of a bad reputation.
Aberavon Beach Aberavon Beach which is located on the north eastern edge of Swansea Bay in Sandfields, is a large and popular beach resort. With its high breaker waves, it is popular with surfers. There was once a small fairground next to the beach. In the late 20th Century, the resort had become rather run down.
The new millennium saw much regeneration in the area. The land occupied by the fairground has been redeveloped as a modern private housing estate. The beach front has been re-built to greatly improve its attractiveness and a new six screen Apollo Cinemas was opened near the sea front back in 1998, next to the Afan Lido. A Burger King restaurant was opened on the sea front close to the nearby Afan Lido and Apollo Cinema but the restaurant barely lasted more than a month before the business pulled out and the fast food restaurant became Burger Star. The bowling Alley that was also meant to be developed has also shut down completely after running out of money to continue the development.
Aberavon Beach was awarded Blue Flag status in December 2007.
Afan Lido The Afan Lido was opened many years ago by the queen during one of her visits to the town and is one of the best attractions Sandfields has to offer with its large swimming pool, gym and large concert hall where many famous bands have played such as McFly, All Saints, Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers and lost prophets.
Education Sandfields Comprehensive Sandfields Comprehensive School is located within the Sandfields area and is one of the fastest improved schools in the UK. The school suffered a terrible reputation but it has improved greatly since then and now has some of the best staff and facilities available.The school has revealed some true talent over the years the most recent of which a teenage girl Laura May Walkely who was recently signed to Arsenals Ladies Football Team.
St Joseph's St Joseph's Catholic Comprehensive school is located in the north of the area.
Glanavan Comprehensive sits on valuable land in the town centre, split over two sites.
Dyffryn Comprehensive, again over two sites, is situated in the Margam area of the town.
There are also many primary school's located within Sandfields Estate such as Tir Morfa, Tywyn, Traeth Melyn and Glan Y Mor. Like Sandfields Comprehensive, Glan Y Mor has also suffered in the past with a bad reputation possibly due to its location in the most underprivileged area of Sandfields however it has improved greatly in the recent past and now has one of the highest result rates
Government The area encompasses the electoral wards of Sandfields West and Sandfields East, part of the Neath Port Talbot unitary authority area.
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