Road narrowed for preparatory works
Photography studio to be auctioned off
THE main road running through the Cynon Valley will be narrowed for three days as investigations are carried out ahead of work to make it safer later this year.
The preparatory works will be carried out on the A4059 at Cwmbach, lasting three days, from April 19.
They will take place on the verge opposite the Gulf Petrol Station, and may involve a section of the road being narrowed, but temporary traffic lights will not be required and two-way traffic will continue.
The ground investigations being carried out by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council are ahead of works previously announced to introduce two right-hand turn lanes off the A4059 later this year.
The main works will widen the carriageway to improve traffic flow, while making it safer for vehicles turning right off the busy road into the petrol station and nearby Marpol Vehicles and Sparesworld businesses.
Nigel Wheeler, the council’s director for highways and streetcare services, said: “Traffic problems on the A4059 corridor, the main road through the Cynon Valley, are an issue, especially at peak times – and it is important for commuters that traffic flow is improved.
“The ground investigation works are necessary ahead of the main works to add right-hand turn lanes at Cwmbach.”
The works follow completed projects in the past year to improve traffic flow on the A4059 – when turning lanes at the Ynys and Asda roundabouts, and at Mountain Ash, were introduced.
The A4059 road is a single-carriageway north-south road that runs between the A470 at Brecon Beacons National Park and the A470 at Abercynon.
Similar works at the Cwmbach roundabout, announced last year, are scheduled to take place in the summer. IF YOU have ever wanted to open your own towncentre business, this could be the perfect property for you.
Victoria Studio in Victoria Square, Aberdare, is a former photography studio which is going up for auction later this month.
The site, which is being sold by auctioneers Paul Fosh Auctions, will go under the hammer with a starting price of just £68,000.
Gareth Abbott, who owns the studio, explained how the building has had a long history.
“The building goes back to the 1850s when it was a smokery for fish,” he said.
“It is quite a large area. They used to smoke fish out the back and then they would present it in the front.”
The property had previously operated as a bank and still has some of the security features that were put in place.
Mr Abbott said: “It had to be burglary-proof as a bank.
“There are security measures in place in the rear and in the skylights.”
Available as a freehold, the studio has a substantial amount of space, with an area of 186 square metres.
Currently, the building has a retail sales area/studio, a rear workshop, three offices or storage rooms, plus a further office space.
Although it is a photography studio, it has the potential for its usage to be changed to suit a variety of other uses.
The listing states: “The building would be ideal for a number of other uses, such as A3 establishment or conversion to residential and the ground floor would be easily converted into an open-plan area.”
As an A3 establishment, the premises could be used as a restaurant or cafe, without the need for planning permission.
With a prominent location on the one-way system and close proximity to the new college, Mr Abbott believes that the building would be best used as a coffee shop.