Bridgend Council recently published their new “placemaking” vision for Porthcawl Waterside (which includes Salt Lake, Eastern Promenade, Coney Beach and Sandy Bay).
It follows recently drop-in public consultation sessions in the town. A series of display panels have been installed at Cosy Corner for the next three weeks, while the same panels have also been published online (pdf).
You should probably take everything included in the document with a pinch of salt. Nothing is set in stone, it just gives you an idea of what the council would like to see happen.
Firstly, we’re less than six months away from local elections – meaning we’ll all be promised the earth until next May. Also, there’ve been multiple masterplans and visions for Porthcawl regeneration down the years, none of which have become a reality yet.
If you’re in Porthcawl you probably already know about all of this. This is more for the benefit of people living in the rest of the county. I’ve decided to split the placemaking proposals up into different themes.
Open Space & Environment
- Griffin Park will be extended slightly and there’ll be near-continuous open space from Griffin Park through to the Sandy Bay dunes.
- The Coney Beach promenade will be replaced with a revetment wall/steps which can be used as a seating area.
- A piazza and water feature at the southern end of Salt Lake next to the marina.
Economic Development & Tourism
- An unspecified “leisure facility” at the southern end of Salt Lake – the council suggesting a luxury hotel and spa – with a possible outdoor theatre/performance space facing Eastern Promenade.
- A mixed-use development will be provided at Coney Beach, with residential above “a vibrant mix of uses at ground floor level”. This hints at apartment buildings. The funfair is definitely gone based on this.
- The leisure/retail area around the Hi-Tide will be kept.
- Dock Street will be extended towards Eastern Promenade as a predominantly pedestrian boulevard/plaza with retail and community spaces on the ground floor.
Transport & Active Travel
- A new bus station on Portway, which would be delivered as part of the South Wales Metro programme. By the looks of things, it would have at least four bays/stands and an undercover waiting area/shelter.
- A cycle hub and e-bike hire centre at/near the new bus station.
- Eastern Promenade will be traffic-calmed to some extent with a new walking and cycling route from the marina area right through to the dunes at Sandy Bay.
- Hillsboro Place car park could be converted to a multi-story car park (I was supposed to be joking).
- A new roundabout would be built at the New Road-Eastern Promenade junction with a new access road running to the proposed new housing at Sandy Bay.
Housing
- As mentioned, a mixed-use development at Coney Beach – presumably apartments.
- Most of Sandy Bay will be allocated for housing and a new school/schools (as in the Local Development Plan).
- Most of Salt Lake will be given over housing with community uses/retail on the ground floor.
