The Head of Operations – Community Services presented a report to Cabinet, in order to update Cabinet on the Local Development Plan candidate site submission and proposed land use framework for this strategic scheme. To also further update Cabinet on the proposed marketing of the food retail site on part of The Green and Salt Lake car park and finally, to seek a formal resolution to authorise officers to commence all necessary steps to acquire land to support the Porthcawl Waterfront Regeneration project, including steps preparatory to serving a Compulsory Purchase Order.

He confirmed that There are two landholdings within the Porthcawl Waterfront Regeneration site which the major landowners are keen to promote for development and subsequent disposal:

1.    Land at the Salt Lake car park site (phase 1) which is exclusively owned by the Council.

2.    Substantial landholdings at the Coney Beach and Sandy Bay sites (phase 2), owned by the Council and another major landowner.

The report highlighted some of the next steps in the delivery of this project.

The Head of Operations – Community Services confirmed, that the site is currently allocated for mixed development within the existing Local Development Plan. This allocation is supported by adopted Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG), often referred to as the “Seven Bays Project – Porthcawl Waterfront SPG”. The site has been put forward a as a candidate site for consideration as part of the replacement Local Development Plan 2018-2033 (LDP).

To evidence the deliverability and viability of the site the major landowners have produced a draft land use framework and masterplan for consideration as part of the LDP process, he explained. The land use plan was shown at Appendix 1 to the report.

The Head of Operations – Community Services proceeded, by confirming that as a first stage in bringing the phase 1 scheme forward on the Salt Lake car park land, the Council is intending to market a food retail site of circa 2.2 acres on the northern portion of The Green and Salt Lake car park site. Appendix 2 of the report, showed the outline of the site intended for this  edged in red. 

It was anticipated that the marketing will commence in early Autumn 2020 and bids will be received and appraised by the end of the calendar year. A further report would be submitted to Cabinet in the new year, providing an update and seeking approval to dispose of the site.

The food store site forms a key element of the wider masterplan that has been worked up for the Porthcawl Waterfront Regeneration Scheme and is intended to act as a precursor to, and catalyst for, future phases of development across the wider site.

The Head of Operations – Community Services stated that within the Phase 2 Sandy Bay and Coney Beach sites, the major land owners are keen to bring their landholdings forward for disposal. There are some unoccupied land parcels where title needs to be cleansed or which are in third party ownership and need to be acquired.

The Council will attempt to acquire the third party land through negotiated agreements. However, it may not be possible to acquire the third party land by agreement and, if necessary, the Council will use its powers under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to acquire land within the red edged boundary and as shown in Appendix 3 to the report.

He then concluded his submission by referring Cabinet to the report’s financial implications adding firstly, that it was anticipated that the sale of the food store on the Salt Lake car park site will generate a capital receipt. In November 2018 Council resolved to use this receipt to invest in approved infrastructure improvements within the Porthcawl Regeneration project, including the upgrading of the Hillsborough Car park which serves the town centre.

The acquisition of land on the Sandy Bay / Coney Beach site will have a cost, including any compensation to be paid. The costs are to be shared between the major land owners. No funding has yet been approved for this and a separate report will be brought to Cabinet and Council, for funding to be included within the Capital Programme, should this proceed.

The Cabinet Member – Education and Regeneration thanked Officers and local Ward Members for the hard work they had put in to this latest phase of the regeneration of Porthcawl, notwithstanding its delay due to the Covid situation.

He added that he had himself engaged with the Porthcawl Town Council, Porthcawl Civic Trust and spoken to Sustainability Wales regarding the proposals and to take ideas forward for low carbon energy developments as part of the development scheme. He had also engaged with schools in Porthcawl on the recommended proposals as well as to seek their ideas, as part of the consultation process.

Discussions had also been ongoing with the RNLI, the local MP and colleagues at the Senedd Cymru, the Cabinet Member – Education and Regeneration added, including with regards to purchasing the leasehold at Salt Lake car park.

The Leisure part of the proposals would comprise of mixed developments he added and a short term leasing agreement would look to be secured of the site, followed by a longer term version as soon as it was established what the market was in terms of offers for the land.

He concluded his contribution, by stating that some of the detail of the Master Plan for the Eastern Promenade works had been revised, which would in turn see this location including a pedestrianised area and a proper Esplanade/Promenade.

Any Capital receipts from the Scheme would also be placed back into Porthcawl towards further re-development proposals.

The Leader confirmed that he hoped that there was going to be no requirement for a Compulsory Purchase Order to be pursued in respect of some of the land within the Phase 2 Sandy Bay/Coney Beach sites and that the sale of these ‘pocket’ areas could be secured by way of agreement with the landowner(s). He asked if the proposals contained in the report had  been the subject of some significant public consultation, to which the Head of Operations - Community Services replied that they had.

The Leader closed debate on the item by reiterating what had been said earlier in debate, by the Cabinet Member - Education and Regeneration, particularly that any monies incurred from the land sales, would be further committed to Porthcawl.

RESOLVED:                    That Cabinet:

   (1)     Noted the intention to submit a land use framework as part of the Local Development Plan process for the Porthcawl Regeneration scheme.

 (2)     Noted the proposed marketing of the sale of land forming part of The    Green and Salt Lake car park for use as a food store site

(3)     Approved the making of a resolution to authorise officers to take all necessary steps to acquire the land edged red on the attached plan, including all preparatory steps for making a compulsory purchase order for the purposes of enabling the comprehensive development of the Porthcawl Regeneration Scheme.