New seafront park proposals are approved

A seafront park is set to be created in Porthcawl following the approval of a new Placemaking Strategy that will provide a framework for how the next phases of regeneration will take place.

Expected to be almost as large as two football pitches laid back-to-back, the new seafront park will run for 200 metres along the eastern esplanade and will be approximately 70 metres wide.

It is being provided by reducing the amount of land marked for housing at Salt Lake by a third, and is in direct response to feedback received through recent public consultation which indicated that people want to see more green, open space included in the plans.

Designed to provide an overall framework for how the regeneration will be delivered, the Placemaking Strategy was approved by the Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council to enable work to take place on putting together options, feasibility studies and designs for providing the residential elements of the scheme, a new leisure development at the southern end of Salt Lake and a new multi-storey car park at Hillsboro Place.

Further public consultation will also be carried out over what people would like to see developed as part of the scheme’s extended public realm and open community space areas.

The council’s proposals for the Salt Lake and Eastern Promenade areas have been updated in direct response to feedback received from the recent public placemaking consultation that was carried out in Porthcawl.

We have listened to what people have said, and have reflected this in our plans. As the new seafront park will be approximately 200 metres long and 70 metres wide, which is almost the size of two football pitches laid back-to-back, we want it to be capable of accommodating a wide range of recreational, leisure and community uses so that it can benefit visitors and residents for many generations to come. In addition, the new proposals include significantly enlarging an area of planned open space which will connect a pedestrianised extension to Dock Street with an adjoining piazza.

The proposals remain ambitious, exciting and realistic, and I hope that people will come forward once again to give their views when we consult over what facilities the new seaside park should feature.

Councillor Charles Smith, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Education

Cabinet also heard how a compulsory purchase order is being used to acquire numerous small pieces of land needed for delivering future phases of the regeneration, and how work to complete improvements to the existing Eastern Promenade and Western Breakwater sea defences are continuing to make progress.

The Eastern Promenade works are set to be complete by summer 2022 while the final stage of works to strengthen the Western Breakwater are anticipated to be finished by winter.

At Cosy Corner, planning permission has been secured and a contractor is currently being appointed to construct a multi-purpose development consisting of a play area, new public space, commercial units, an office for the harbour master and toilet / changing facilities.

Construction work on the previously announced Aldi food store will commence in the north-western part of Salt Lake later this summer, with the completed development seeking to open by summer 2023.

Detailed design work has also been completed on the proposed Metrolink set to be located on the eastern side of the Portway, and a planning application is currently being processed.

If approved, this will be delivered using Cardiff Capital Region grant funding and will consist of a new four-bay bus terminus and a single storey enclosed structure featuring a green sedum roof and rainwater garden, together with associated highways alterations, landscaping and public realm works.

Intended to enhance public transport links with Pyle train station and the wider South Wales Metro network, the Metrolink will also seek to improve public transport frequency and accessibility both into and out of Porthcawl.