Bridgend Council has approved a request to transfer money from the Penprysg Bridge replacement in Pencoed – and Porthcawl regeneration schemes – to meet the rising costs of the new Metrolink bus station in Porthcawl (pdf).
Just over £2.7million – match-funded by £582,000 from BCBC – was made available from the Cardiff Capital Region for the new bus station and bridge replacement preparatory work. However, this money needs to be spent by the end of March 2023 or it would be returned to the city region.
BCBC were unsuccessful in their UK “Levelling Up Fund” bid for the Penprysg Road project, with work winding down while they seek alternative funding – putting the project on indefinite hold.
Additionally, since being signed off by BCBC’s Cabinet in 2022, the projected cost of the new Porthcawl bus station has risen from £2.3million to £3.84million – leaving a funding gap of more than £1.5million.
The report notes a lack of interest from specialist transport contractors during the tender bidding process – which is still live and deemed to be commercially confidential. There was no time left to re-tender the contract as it would pass the city region’s spending deadline.
Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr. John Spanswick (Lab, Brackla West Central), said the bus station was a key part of further proposals due to be announced in due course for the Salt Lake site. These include affordable/social housing and a new seaside park.
Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Cllr. Neelo Farr (Lab, Porthcawl East Central), echoed that, saying the proposal was a positive use of money raised from the sale of land to Aldi.
Councillors agreed that almost all of the remaining capital funding for Penprysg Road (£961,000) and some capital funding from other Porthcawl regeneration schemes (£572,000) – part of the £3.5million raised from the sale of land at Salt Lake to Aldi – will be transferred meet the funding gap for the Metrolink station.
