Calls have been made for the council to engage with and listen to residents and businesses over some major developments planned for Pontypridd town centre. Plaid Cymru have called on Rhondda Cynon Taf Council to properly engage residents and businesses in plans to regenerate Pontypridd particularly around plans for a hotel on the former Bingo Hall site.
The developments are part of the council’s Pontypridd Town Centre Placemaking Plan which includes plans to demolish the old M&S and Dorothy Perkins and Burtons buildings and was discussed at cabinet on Wednesday, June 22. Plaid Cymru councillor Dawn Wood who represents Pontypridd Town and Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd Heledd Fychan said that while investment and development is very much needed in the area under consideration, they are urging RCT Council to re-consult and listen to the views of residents, local businesses and users of the town.
They said they are both concerned that plans were developed and presented to the community rather than developed with the community. They said that cabinet had already taken a decision at their meeting on 28 February 2022 that a hotel led development would go ahead on the Former Bingo Hall site before any consultation took place, making a “farce” of the whole process.
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They added that the consultation in March was ran in-house rather than by an external organisation, and only garnered 164 responses which represents 1.2% of the surrounding population. They said despite alternative plans and ideas being put forward by residents and businesses, none of the plans have been adapted meaning that both residents and businesses are “frustrated” that this investment won’t be delivered in a way that maximises benefits to the town.
They said that this is at odds with the Placemaking Charter as well as the ways of working required by law under the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, both of which require proper engagement and collaboration with people and communities. Heledd Fychan MS said she also consulted residents and local businesses on the plans and found that only 12% of those that responded felt that RCT Council had taken their views into account about the plans and only 5.4% supported plans for a hotel at the proposed site.
Cllr Dawn Wood said: “Consultation should be meaningful rather than tokenistic. It is a damming indictment that people felt disengaged from the process, given that only 1.2% of residents took part in the consultation. As a local representative, I know that the local community and local businesses are excited about the future of our town and have put forward a number of ideas – all of which were ignored by this consultation. Nobody is against development, but it has to be the right development, that will maximise benefits – both environmentally, culturally and economically.
“Residents and businesses are fed up of things being done to Pontypridd rather than with Pontypridd. I urge the council to rethink these plans and redraw them with the community so that the development works for residents, businesses and visitors to our much-loved town.” Heledd Fychan added: “We all want to see further investment in Pontypridd, but it has to be the right investment, developed with the community, and maximising benefits to the community.
“Pontypridd is a town that was devastated by extensive flooding in 2020 and if done properly, these plans have the potential to help form our response to the climate and nature emergency whilst also delivering sustainable economic opportunities for the town. RCT Council should go back to the drawing board and re draw these plans with residents, business owners and local users.”
Speaking after the meeting, she said she is “disappointed and dismayed” at so many decisions taken at the meeting, including to proceed with the placemaking plan in Pontypridd without consultation. She said she is also disappointed that the deputy leader Councillor Maureen Webber, made “public reference to the fact that my views, and those of the constituents I represent, shouldn’t count despite the fact that I was an RCT Councillor during the consultation period, and am currently a Pontypridd Town Councillor and a Member of the Senedd for the area, with an office that pays council rates in the proposed area of development. RCT Council should engage in meaningful consultation with residents on all decisions. No wonder voter turnout was low in the local elections if this is how the Labour council treats the views of residents.”
But Labour councillor Mark Norris who is cabinet member for prosperity and development said: “This is just the start of an ongoing conversation about proposals that make up the future regeneration of Pontypridd. The Pontypridd Placemaking Plan establishes a framework for the next phase of the ongoing regeneration and transformation of Pontypridd town centre .
"Cabinet’s decision on June 22 does not represent the final approval for any of the projects within the plan. Once the proposals are progressed, each will come back to cabinet for future consideration following further engagement with the community and key organisations.
"The proposal to open up the town towards the park and river would transform the southern end of the town, much in the same way that Llys Cadwyn has been delivered in the north. The decision to explore a hotel-led development on the former Bingo Hall site is just one element of the exciting regeneration plans for Pontypridd, and any detailed plans would be subject to planning and a full statutory consultation process.
“This will be the strategy that helps guide more detailed decisions on investment projects, aimed at creating a town that responds to local, national and global challenges – in a way that provides opportunities for the community to live, work and socialise in a high-quality environment. An overwhelming majority of respondents to the consultation agreed or strongly agreed with the proposals – 88.4% in favour of the hotel-led development, 90.9% in favour of the M&S site proposals, and 89.7% for the Dorothy Perkins/Burtons sites.
“It is also important to note that the hotel proposal would have significant retail use on the ground floor, while the original proposal for a hotel came about due to engagement with specialist consultants on how the site could be best used. A hotel would fill a current absence within the town, and would be invaluable for visitors when events are held locally. This includes people visiting large events that Cardiff hosts, with a short commute from Pontypridd to the city. It would also improve opportunities for visitors to stay locally and visit areas north of Pontypridd, boosting tourism into the valleys. The overriding ambition of the council is to re-establish Pontypridd as a key south Wales shopping and visitor destination.”
Councillor Maureen Webber, deputy leader of the council, said: “As a council we have positive ambitions for Pontypridd. The regeneration of the Lido, the creation of Llys Cadwyn and our targeted interventions to support the town centre are making this a reality. It is disappointing that the regional Senedd member, when criticising our strategy for the future, has not presented any credible alternatives to council officers for the future, or any support to the council’s own engagement processes. Turning the opportunities available to Pontypridd into a political issue does little to serve the interests of Pontypridd residents and businesses.”
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