Aldi is confirmed as the preferred bidder for new Porthcawl foodstore

Following a robust selection process, Aldi Stores Ltd has been confirmed as the preferred bidder for an all-new foodstore in Porthcawl.

A total of five bids were received for the new store, which is set to be developed at a two-acre site located within the Salt Lake area and known locally as The Green.

Bidders were required to submit high-quality, bespoke designs for premises that can act as ‘gateway buildings’ while incorporating appropriate access and active travel arrangements.

As well as providing residents with greater choice and more flexibility, the development is intended to unlock funds that will be reinvested into local infrastructure improvements within Porthcawl and further stages of the regeneration plans.

This is excellent news and another major step forward in the regeneration plans for Porthcawl. This development is going to create new jobs, provide new facilities, and deliver new landscaping and public realm improvements.

I have previously likened the various regeneration phases to being very much like a vast jigsaw puzzle, with each new piece settling in alongside what has gone before, ready to complement what is yet to come. In this case, the foodstore will act as a catalyst by unlocking funds that will be reinvested into establishing necessary new infrastructure within the seafront area, improved car parking facilities at Hillsboro car park and much more.

It will be followed by all-new residential, leisure, retail and commercial developments at Salt Lake, along with green open space and new active travel facilities, and I am looking forward to when this process has been finalised, and the plans and illustrations showing how the new store will look can be revealed in full.

Councillor Charles Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration

Council Leader Huw David added: “I think people are going to be really pleased when they see what Aldi has planned for Porthcawl.

“Our development brief called for an innovative, sustainable building design using high-quality materials to take account of Porthcawl’s heritage and setting while looking towards future regeneration aspirations.

“We want it to establish a distinct, enhanced gateway into Porthcawl with lots of high-quality landscaping, new public realm improvements and extra car parking capable of supporting trips into the town centre.

“We further want it to deliver improved pedestrian and cycle links, and to help increase footfall between the town centre and the Eastern Promenade, which is also set to be regenerated.

“I think the preferred bid achieves all that we wanted, and more besides.

“The designs will be revealed along with full details once the contract has been finalised, so look out for more information soon.”