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Plans submitted for new retail park in Bridgend
Outline plans for a new retail park on the outskirts of Bridgend have been submitted to the local council for consideration. If approved, the development, named Parc Afon Ewenni, would be located at the Ewenny Industrial Estate, off the A473 Waterton Road.
The proposed site aims to include a Marks & Spencer food store, an Aldi supermarket, and a drive-through Costa Coffee shop. The area is situated to the east of the former South Wales Police ground and near a Travis Perkins builders merchant. Currently, the site is occupied by Compact Cars and Comva Car Auctions and has historical significance as part of the grounds for the Royal Ordnance Works factory that operated during the Second World War.
Mango Planning and Development Limited, acting as planning agents for CPG Development Projects, prepared the latest proposal. CPG is a national property development company that focuses on commercial and retail development. According to the application, M&S requires a Simply Food store to serve the Vale, Porthcawl, and Bridgend catchments. Meanwhile, Aldi needs to relocate its town centre store in Bridgend due to growth at the new Bridgend College, necessitating a new store in south Bridgend to complement its existing store at Brackla.
The application also states that there is a demand for additional drive-through facilities in Bridgend to meet strategic routing needs for Costa Coffee. Should the plans progress, the development would include 335 parking spaces, as well as vehicular, cycle, and pedestrian access from the A473. Landscaping and green infrastructure improvements are also proposed.
The project could create up to 181 new jobs in the local area and generate approximately £450,000 in business rates annually. A previous iteration of the plans included a drive-through Wendy’s restaurant, but this proposal was removed following pre-application advice and public consultation.
The council’s planning department will review the proposals in the coming months. However, as this application seeks outline approval, additional applications would need to be submitted if the development moves forward.
