Taff Vale Redevelopment Update

The redevelopment of the former Taff Vale Precinct moves a stage closer with the submission of an outline planning application. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The application is for a significant mixed use, office-led development which will include food and drink use. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In total, the scheme looks to provide up to 12,675sq.m. (over 136,000sq.ft) of new floor space, with a new basement car park and servicing areas below. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The development, which will be an office led scheme, will include the presence of floor space for restaurant/cafe use together with assembly and leisure and other non-residential (class D1) uses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The former Taff Vale Precinct in Pontypridd was demolished in 2011. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Artist Impressions – ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, County Borough Councillor Andrew Morgan said: “Following the decision of the Council’s Cabinet to invest £1.5M in the redevelopment of the former precinct site, a planning application has now been submitted to develop an office led development which will include food and drink uses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The designs submitted as part of the application demonstrate the ambition the Council has for this strategic site, which is fundamental to the future of Pontypridd and changing the direction of this key valley’s town. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It is proposed for the development to be delivered across three individual buildings, to allow for Taff Street to be opened up once more to the River Taff and Ynysangharad War Memorial Park. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The scheme looks not only to provide an attractive and active frontage to Taff Street but also bring the River Taff side of the site into greater public prominence with attractive areas of public open space facilitating views across the river to Ynysangharad War Memorial Park. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The proposal includes a statement building directly opposite the Historical Centre and opposite the Old Bridge. This building will act a key feature of this development and new gateway landmark for the town. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Over the last 10 years or so there have been previous proposals for the redevelopment of the former Taff Vale site for predominantly retail-led schemes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“However, with none of these having come to fruition, the Council is keen to promote and secure a scheme which not only is financially viable and deliverable – in the currently challenging economic climate – but also a scheme which actively benefits and promotes Pontypridd as a vibrant place in which to invest, work and visit. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“An office-led development will bring hundreds of people into the town, who in turn will spend their money locally and dramatically increase footfall. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“If we just simply brought forward proposals for a retail-only development, we could have potentially pulled existing retailers away from southern part of Pontypridd, even if a retail-led scheme could actually be delivered, which is very doubtful in this current retail climate. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Subject to planning permission being granted, I am confident we can then take proposals to the next level, with the development starting on site in the near future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This would be a clear demonstration, that in contrast to previously proposals for this site, this plan will happen and be delivered for future benefit of Pontypridd and RCT.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

County Borough Councillor Robert Bevan, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Planning said: “The submission of an application for outline planning is major milestone for the development of this site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The decision of the Council in 2015 to purchase the leasehold of the site, alongside the freehold the Council already held, has placed the Council in the driving seat of this redevelopment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The work which has been undertaken so far which has resulted in the submission of this planning application demonstrates our commitment to the development of this site and the potential it has to support the future of Pontypridd moving forward. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The unique three building design has the potential to open up the town to the river and park and transform how the town centre interacts with this huge asset. This development is incredibly exciting for Pontypridd and has the potential to deliver hundreds of jobs for the town. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We really do have a fantastic opportunity to transform the future of Pontypridd as a key regional and strategic Valleys town. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“While ambitious, I firmly believe this is a deliverable proposal which will develop upon the potential which the Metro and City Deal have to offer for our wider economy.”
It is envisaged that this planning application will be considered by the Council’s Development Control Committee in the autumn. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​