£5.5m Porthcawl seafront project gets the go-ahead
A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN project to regenerate Porthcawl’s seafront with a £5.5m building and facilities has been given the go ahead by planners.
Work is due to start on building Harbourside – which will house a SeaQuest coastal science and discovery centre, health and leisure facilities, micro brewery, performance space, and even a bistro - early next year.
The centre, which will also be home to the Welsh Surfing Federation, local Sea Cadets, local Coastguard and harbour master will be built on Cosy Corner, which is owned by Bridgend council and will be leased to developer Porthcawl Harbourside Community Interest Company (CIC).
The project has been funded and supported to date by the Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations, South East Wales Community Economic Development Programme, Coastal Communities/Big Lottery Funding, The Church Act (a grant for SeaQuest equipment) and the Wales Council for Voluntary Action.
CIC Chairman Michael Clarke said the granting of planning permission by Bridgend council marked a “critical day” for the CIC, its partners and stakeholders.
“This is a major milestone after four years of hard work. To say we are delighted is an understatement,” he said.
“We are particularly grateful for the advice we have received from all sections of our local authority in Bridgend. Reaching this stage has been a shared journey and we have worked closely with officers across highways, planning, regeneration, conservation and propaerty.
“We are very pleased that some of the comments made at the development control meeting reflected our intention that we want the benefits of this development to be felt across the county borough and beyond.”
Michael said finalising the agreement to lease the breakwater has been one of the most challenging aspects of the whole process due to the range of statutory marine and other consents.
“Commitment, flexibility and dogged determina- tion are words that come to mind,” he said.
“The support, understanding and patience of our Coastal Community Colleagues at Big Lottery has been vital.
“Fortunately, we have also had the commitment of our council to secure what will be a fine result for marina users, the council and ourselves supporting new direct and indirect employment and increasing visitors to Porthcawl and benefiting Bridgend county and the wider region.”
A £100,000 investment will see a boat lift and associated handling equipment installed in the marina first of all.
The partnership between the CIC and marina will enable existing boat owners to lift their vessels out of the water for repairs and cleaning, will allow commercial fisherman to land their catch more economically and the Porthcawl RNLI will be able to lift their boat out of the water for maintenance next to their base, rather than having to travel further along the coast.
A storage facility for 200 boats will also be available together with chandlery services.
Michael said: “Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the huge number of people and organisations who took the trouble to write in to support our application.”