BRIDGEND County Borough Council have agreed to a deal worth over £5m to purchase the Rhiw Shopping Centre in Bridgend in what has been descried as a potential “game changer” for the town.
The site which lies at the heart of the town centre on Nolton Street, Bridgend has been purchased by the local authority for a sum of £5.37m from private owners Creative Assets Global Ltd.
The move comes as part of the council’s town centre regeneration master-plan which they say has the the potential to unlocked a number of new opportunities for the site, which include opening a new market, retail units, community facilities and additional accommodation.
It also comes over two years after the closure of the town’s historic market in September 2023, which was located inside the shopping centre, after the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) within the structure’s roof.
Speaking after the announcement of purchase a council spokesperson said the Rhiw would continue to operate as a shopping centre while new plans are being developed, with existing businesses to be consulted on any proposals and developments.
They added that the purchase had been funded using £2.45m from Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns fund, £1.8m from the council’s revenue budget, and just over £1m from the council’s capital programme.
The councils leader, Cllr John Spanswick said: “This deal has the potential to be a game changer for the future of Bridgend town centre, and I am grateful to Welsh Government for helping to fund the purchase of the Rhiw Shopping Centre.
“The Rhiw has been an important part of the town centre for more than 50 years, but its future was uncertain after RAAC was detected within the infrastructure of the building – a problem which forced the closure of the indoor market hall for safety reasons in 2023 and left the Rhiw facing the long-term prospect of disruptive, expensive repairs.
“I can reveal that the council has been working behind the scenes to negotiate a way forward, and these efforts have resulted in the purchase of the entire site.
“As a result, the council can now safeguard against the Rhiw Shopping Centre being sold off piecemeal to developers, manage any further instances where RAAC may have an impact, and control how the site will be used for the overall benefit of traders and residents.”
Members of the Bridgend County Independents group said they also welcomed the move which represented a “significant first step” towards revitalising the town.
The leader of the group, Cllr Amanda Williams, said: “As leader of the Bridgend County Independent Group, I welcome and fully support this important acquisition as a vital first step in securing Bridgend town centre’s future.
“We look forward to working collaboratively with officers, traders and residents to ensure this vision is delivered for the benefit of our community.”
