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It is over 15 years ago that the old Arfon Borough Council decided that the Victoria Dock area was becoming a tiresome and outdated hindrance to town development.  Most of the old flourishing industry had either died a slow , painfull death, or were in the throes of a final illness.  The long established oil industry was facing massive problems, and the only success seemed to be the abbatoir and the printing works in the Goleuad building, although even the most ardent supporters of Dafydd Thomas and the history of printing in Caernarfon would have to reluctantly agree that the best days were way gone.

A Joint Venture Board was set up between Arfon Council, the Welsh Office, Bwrdd Datblygu Cymru and the old  Gwynedd Council, with the intention of creating a development strategy for the new dock area, once agreement had been reached to clear it in preperation for development. Councillor Meurig Williams was the first chairman, I had the honour of being the only other councillor on the board.

From the outset it was agreed that we would seek a development that would have new elements, we would hope to develop a plan that would be a catalyst to the improvement and benefit of the whole town,  that would guide Caernarfon into the 21st century.

We also realised from the outset that such moves could be extremely unpopular, but being in the public domain at times means doing what you sincerely feel is right for the town, and facing the result of that action.

To cut a very long story short, once agreement had been reached to move any existing tenants, we very quickly realised we had a massive problem on our hands, oil contamination. We could not simply dig, and dump in the sea for environmental reasons, so  ultra modern means of de contaminating were developed, a process that took three whole years.

By today, through several years of attempts, setbacks, hundreds of meetings (and I have been chair of these meetings for many years!!) , we have reached a stage where one of the best developments in town for almost a century, Galeri , is up and running and highly successful ( Despite massive cynicism and opposition!!), we have a modern, multi purpose development nearby. Basically my reaction to those critics who have complained for decades that nothing is being done to help Caernarfon is to refer to the fact that in the region of thirty million pounds is being invested in Caernarfon, in various phases through various projects.

The residential element in Victoria Dock is progressing well, with 20 apartements already sold, mostly to locals , or people with local connections. And it is worth reminding people that it was a part of the agreement with the developer that locals were to have priority over a long initial period of marketing, that the developer had also to agree to build at least ten affordable houses in an area of the council's choice, with that number increasing if the percentage of locals purchasing apartements in Victoria Dock is lower than that agreed.

Richard Morris Jones Chairman, Victoria Dock Development Board.