11 The valleys that could be

The Paper concentrates on the Rhondda Valleys as posing typical problems. It discusses the regional context, for example new town proposals and development of existing towns, conflicting attractions which add to the problems of diminishing industry.

The existing assets of the Rhondda in homes and infrastructure, landscape potential and community life are described; the need for better communications, solutions and alternative planning strategies leaving options corresponding to the ebb and flow of development according to economic viability are then mentioned.

What could be and what of necessity must be in the valleys are two very different things, at least for our lifetime, and the lifetime of immediate generations. It is tempting to ask what the valleys might have been like had minerals never been found there - would they have been like Borrowdale or Wensleydale? They had the basic beauty once.