A £2.4m development at Cosy Corner in Porthcawl is set to go ahead next month with Welsh firm John Weaver Contractors Ltd being appointed to begin the work.
The development on the area near the popular Grand Pavilion and seafront is due to be completed by spring 2023, with a number of changes expected to take place.
The plans include a new stone and glass-clad building on Cosy Corner, which will be home to five small retail units, as well as public toilets, offices for the harbourmaster, and changing facilities for users of the nearby marina. It will also feature an outdoor children’s play area, new landscaping with public seating, along with space for staging events and a canopy to provide shelter from rain and the sun.
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The development will be part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, and is part of the wider development taking place on the Porthcawl seafront area, including those at the Salt Lake waterfront and new marina.
Councillor Neelo Farr, cabinet member for regeneration, said work was due to begin next month and would complement other regeneration projects that are currently being discussed for the town. She said: "In addition to supporting the council’s ongoing plans for the development of the Salt Lake and waterfront areas, the plans for Cosy Corner are intended to complement other regeneration projects such as the new marina, new sea defences, the recently restored Jennings Building and improvements to the eastern breakwater.
"It reflects feedback from the recent Porthcawl Placemaking Strategy public consultation which demonstrated that residents are in favour of establishing and maintaining open space where people can meet, relax and enjoy nearby facilities. Work on the new development is set to begin next month, and I am sure it is going to prove to be an extremely popular addition to Porthcawl."
Independent councillor for Porthcawl Sean Aspey added: "The area of Cosy Corner has been badly neglected over the past few years so we definitely welcome any developments going there over the next few months.
"It's definitely a lot less grand than we had hoped for, but at the same time there will be more open space, and a canopy that will allow us to host more outdoor events and activities in the town. Porthcawl can be a very weather dependent destination sometimes so the canopy structure will be a good thing for people here."
Wales’ Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething said he looked forward to seeing the work after it was completed next year. He said: "The developments at Cosy Corner will complement perfectly the work being done to improve Porthcawl as a destination for visitors - and for local people. I’m very pleased that we are able to support this development, and look forward to seeing the project being completed next year." You can read mopre of our stories from Porthcawl here.
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