(Title Image: Wales Online)
I don’t know if there’s an ancient burial ground under Porthcawl, but Bridgend Council’s attempts at regenerating the town have long been cursed.
Putting aside possible supernatural explanations, the likely answer to this is a combination of incompetence, promises which have failed to materialise, bad timing and simple bad luck.
One of the centrepieces of the latest drive to kickstart regeneration is/was a Maritime Centre at Cosy Corner on the seafront – subject of a report to be discussed by the BCBC Cabinet next week (pdf).
As most of you know, that “curse” struck again.
The project was overseen by Credu Charity Ltd – a Community Interest Company – while Bridgend Council retained ownership of the land, leasing it back to Credu for three years to enable work on the Maritime Centre to start.
Credu went into serious financial difficulties – forcing Andrew Scott contractors to pull out in February 2020 after not being paid – and appointed administrators in October 2020. Credu Ltd was liquidated on November 19th 2020.
The lease was terminated, so BCBC took back control of the site, while the Welsh Government pulled financial support (in the form of EU Regional Development Funding/ERDF).
No work has taken place on the site since February. BCBC doesn’t have any funding set aside for remediation works. Realistically, the Maritime Centre can’t go ahead as the sum of additional money potentially available from Visit Wales is far too small to do anything other than scrap what’s already there.
Officers are drafting alternative uses for Cosy Corner, though the report says it’s likely to remain as open space with an area set aside for community use.
The possible community uses include changing and storage facilities for harbour users and the Sea Cadets, a playground, outdoor events space and changing places facility for the disabled and carers.
Any funding BCBC potentially secures from Visit Wales/Welsh Government – said to be up to £1million – will need to be match-funded by BCBC by up to £539,000….but they haven’t secured that funding yet.
