Of Pontypridd’s precinct
and the middle building.
The third building, nearest Bridge Street, will house a library, a council customer contact point, a cafe, community facilities and a new leisure and fitness centre.
A footbridge from the new development to Ynysangharad War Memorial Park will also be built, subject to planning permission.
In March this year the council was awarded a £10m grant funding from the Welsh Government’s Building for the Future programme.
In May, two piling rigs arrived at the site for the buildings’ foundations after Willmott Dixon started on work the site in January.
Councillor Robert Bevan, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s cabinet member for enterprise, development and housing, said: “Once completed, the scheme will fulfil a long-term aspiration for the council, to revitalise this strategic site where the Taff Vale Shopping Centre once stood.
“After several failed projects by the private sector over a number of years, the council acquired the site in 2015 and committed to finally completing demolition and delivering a mixed-use development that will be of benefit to the town and Rhondda Cynon Taff generally.
“Taff Vale will bring a significant number of jobs to the area – boosted by the commitment of Transport for Wales to be based in the development.”
The council hopes the development will increase footfall in the town and help to “significantly contribute” to the local retail scene.
Half of the project’s milestones have already been reached and the council aims to start building the footbridge by next spring and have it completed in autumn 2019.
The aim is for the site to be fully occupied by 2020.