At this month’s full council meeting, Cllr. Ross Penhale-Thomas (Ind, Maesteg West) asked about supporting the high street – particularly dealing with empty and rundown commercial buildings.
While grant schemes have had a positive impact on willing developers and business owners, too many town centre buildings have been left to ruin because those responsible have no links or loyalties to the area.
Given rundown buildings can be offputting to visitors and investors alike, a clear message needs to be sent that if you own an empty town centre building, either invest in it, apply for an improvement grant, or hand it over to someone willing to do something.
He asked what tools BCBC need to speed up enforcement and compulsory purchase. Also, can the council make dealing with empty buildings a regeneration priority?
CPO “not a simple option”
Council Leader, Cllr. John Spanswick (Lab, Brackla West Central), accepted the need for more tools and resources – as well a proper assessment of what powers the council already has in this area.
While he wished he could do more to deal with property owners “playing Monopoly in our town centres”, compulsory purchase can be a long and costly exercise. It also requires the council to have capital funding up-front – which they might not always have.
On a positive note, Cllr. Spanswick pointed towards town centre regeneration projects such as (the soon-to-be-completed) Maesteg Town Hall, the new Bridgend College campus and the Grand Pavilion refurbishment. He hoped that a scheme to address Pencoed level crossing could be added in the future.
