Notices have been posted in Porthcawl advising that Bridgend County Borough Council is seeking to confirm ownership details for land located in and around Sandy Bay and Coney Beach.
The notices advise anyone who believes that they may have an interest in any land within this area to contact the council.
This is because there are several small parcels of land within the larger area which may need to be compulsory acquired as part of future phases of the town’s ongoing regeneration, and the council wishes to confirm ownership details, particularly where land may not be registered.
Cllr Charles Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration, said: “These notices have been posted as part of our efforts to lay down the necessary groundwork to support the delivery of the next stages of Porthcawl’s ongoing regeneration.
“Our plans incorporate a broad mix of options for supporting new retail, residential, recreational and open space opportunities within the Coney Beach and Sandy Bay areas. We also intend to establish an all-new school along with enhanced coastal protection and ecological measures for the local system of relic dunes.
“To achieve this, the council is seeking to work closely with other landowners and businesses in and around the area, and as part of this has kept local councillors fully informed. Unfortunately, the notices appear to have prompted some unfounded rumours to circulate, with even Welsh Government reporting that they have received objections to compulsory purchase orders which simply do not exist.
“I must therefore stress that the notices do not represent any formal compulsory purchase. We are simply trying to establish who owns what so that we can progress the next stages of Porthcawl’s ongoing regeneration, and to support the development of a report which will seek to outline the local ownership and site interests in full detail.”
Among the regeneration plans for Porthcawl are an all-new food store and new Porthcawl Terminus which will be developed as part of the South East Wales Metro Plus initiative.
Using grant funding from the Cardiff Capital City Region Deal and Welsh Government, this will feature several bus bays and incorporate a modern canopy and shelter with digital information boards and capacity for accommodating electric vehicles.
Capital receipts from the development of the food store site will enable the council to undertake major work at the Hillsboro Place car park, including resurfacing and improvements to the car park’s layout
Land at the north-eastern end of the site, immediately adjacent to the new food store, will be developed for new housing, and work will shortly begin on a series of coastal protection improvements to mitigate flood risk. This includes work on the Western Breakwater and the Eastern Promenade overlooking Sandy Bay, and forms an important part of the project’s overall public realm improvement work.
The Eastern Promenade will be redeveloped to link the marina area with the eastern beaches, forming a striking piece of public realm work which will be suitable for pedestrians and cyclists.
The Portway will be kept open as an access road and re-engineered to become more pedestrian friendly, with clear lines of sight, better access to the town centre and the potential for additional parking.
Once the coastal defence works have been completed, two more phases of housing development will be taken forward in the centre of the Salt Lake site, with some of the land used as a temporary car park in the short term.
The remaining quarter of the Salt Lake site near the marina has been marked for a new leisure attraction. Prior to a permanent leisure attraction being secured, the land will also be available for temporary leisure use.
Griffin Park will be extended, and a new roundabout created to provide access to regeneration land in the Coney Beach and Sandy Bay areas.
· If you believe you have ownership or an interest in the land, please email the council at [email protected]