Later today, Bridgend Council’s Communities, Housing & Environment scrutiny committee will be updated on the latest developments in the Porthcawl regeneration programme (pdf).
Several regeneration projects have been completed. These include Cosy Corner, the Metrolink station, the Eastern Promenade upgrade and the Aldi supermarket. Work is already underway on the renovation of the Grand Pavilion.
The focus of this report is the Waterfront regeneration area. This covers Salt Lake and Sandy Bay. The current plans are for up to 1,100 homes, a new primary school and new parks/public open spaces.
Earlier this year, an owners agreement was signed with the Welsh Government to enable the compulsory purchase of Coney Beach and Sandy Bay.
The Evans family recently announced Coney Beach Fair will permanently close at the end of the current season in October 2025. It was set to close at some point before the start of the 2026 season (March 2026) anyway.
New masterplan being finalised; set for consultation by the end of the year
Following the launch of a “placemaking strategy” and a public consultation on its latest masterplan for the waterfront area, the final revised version is currently in development.
There was positive feedback to some of the proposals, including the proposed extension to Griffin Park and the pedestrianisation of Eastern Promenade. However, there were concerns about the number of proposed homes and a desire for more community and leisure facilities.
Some changes were revealed in the report, including:
- Additional open space across the regeneration area.
- Extra parking north of the Coney Beach site, which means a multi-storey car park may no longer be needed.
- A landscaped buffer along the eastern edge of Sandy Bay and a new dedicated area for motorhomes.
- The proposed school site will be bigger and “extend closer to the beach”.
- Extra links between Eastern Promenade and the town centre.
Expected timetable for the Waterfront development published
The revised masterplan will be presented to BCBC’s Cabinet before being put out for public consultation. This is expected to happen by November 2025.
A full planning application is expected to be submitted before January 2026, with a decision expected to be made by June 2026.
Marketing of the first phase of the Waterfront project – and a tender for demolition/clearance work – is expected during June-July 2026. The Coney Beach site should be cleared before March 2027.
Construction of the first phase of the Waterfront development is then expected to begin from March 2027 onwards.
