Drop-in ‘placemaking’ sessions set to discuss Porthcawl’s future

Bridgend County Borough Council has released artist impressions offering an insight into how Porthcawl might look in the future ahead of this week’s ‘placemaking’ drop-in sessions.

Set to take place at the Grand Pavilion between 9am-5pm on Wednesday 24 November and 9am-8pm on Thursday 25 November, the sessions will showcase potential opportunities such as modern multi-storey car parking at Hillsboro Place, new landscaping and pedestrianisation along the Eastern Promenade, improved public transport infrastructure and a Metro link, the extension and refurbishment of Dock Street, the creation of new plazas and fresh community spaces, and much more.

Organised in line with the Placemaking Wales Charter, the consultation is inviting businesses and residents to visit the drop-in sessions, view exhibition boards and artist impressions, speak to regeneration staff and give their thoughts on the proposals.

Once the drop-in sessions are complete, the exhibition boards will be publicly displayed on hoardings at Cosy Corner for three weeks and made available to view online at the council’s website. All feedback received will be used to help shape and inform a draft placemaking strategy, which is due to be published in the new year.

I think people will find the drop-in sessions extremely interesting as they will offer not only a glimpse of Porthcawl’s potential future, but an opportunity to come and talk to regeneration experts over how we can work together to develop realistic, ambitious, sustainable proposals.

We want to explore a wide range of potential developments that will benefit the town. For example, a modern multi-storey parking facility would address concerns about car parking availability, while the extension of Dock Street could form a connecting corridor between John Street and the new improvements planned for Salt Lake and the Eastern promenade area.

Similarly, the success of the Elvis Festival and the Seniors Open golf tournament at the Royal Porthcawl have highlighted how the town could benefit from hosting further large-scale events, so a new luxury spa hotel would support this ambition while addressing a previously-identified need for new hotel accommodation in the area. Ultimately, placemaking is all about organisations, businesses and communities working closely together, so please make use of this opportunity, and have your say on the future of Porthcawl.

Councillor Charles Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration