Controversy in Pontypridd

“Controversy continues regarding the £10.5million regeneration scheme for Pontypridd. A series of Freedom of Information requests by RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats have uncovered that the Council has no idea of how many new businesses have set up in the area over the last twelve months. With the Labour Cabinet recently launching an economic development strategy which is supposedly going to drive forward the economy agenda and bring new businesses and jobs to RCT, it is unbelievable that the council does not hold any information on the formation of new businesses. Just how are they going to measure the success of their strategy?”

You can read the full article by Eluned Parrott, AM here.

 

 

New town centre for Talbot Green?

New town centre for Talbot Green?

I was interested to read in the Pontypridd Observer of plans for a £200m new town centre for Talbot Green. The project claims to bring up to 1,900 jobs to the area although that seems a bit ambitious and will include, a cinema, cafes, restaurants, bars, a hotel, office space, and housing

Surely Talbot Green town centre has already been side-lined with the development of two out-of-town retail parks in recent years, drawing investment away from the town centre itself. Looking at the levels of traffic in the area, there’s no doubt that the two retail parks have been successful. However, another development of this size (33,000 square metres), can only make matters worse. With the development planned for outside Talbot Green town centre, the development will only cause local business within the town centre itself to suffer and further increases in traffic levels – which the area surely can’t cope with.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats opposed the controversial plans to build on the Mwyndy site for this reason, and nothing has changed. The recently opened Church Village bypass has relieved traffic in the villages along the route but not at either end.

What about the regeneration of Pontypridd Town Centre? £10 million has been spent on footing the regeneration of Pontypridd whilst the Talbot Green development is set to receive £200m. The regeneration of Pontypridd Town Centre is well overdue to say the least and all efforts should be made to ensure that the regeneration of what is supposedly the county town goes ahead as planned with all efforts centred on the regeneration. Efforts in Pontypridd pale in comparison to the proposed efforts in Talbot Green.

Rhys Taylor