By Anthony Lewis
A council owned shopping centre in Merthyr Tydfil is set to undergo a major redevelopment.
St Tydfil’s Shopping Centre which was built in 1970 is set to be transformed with ideas for it including a mix of shops, workplaces and places to live, improved market facilities including additional street trading and pop-up opportunities, more attractive and usable public open spaces, more high quality food and drink venues and more independent and start-up businesses.
It was bought by the council in December 2021 and as part of the authority’s 15-year town centre “masterplan” St Tydfil Shopping Centre will get a new look and the council is asking residents, businesses and shoppers how they would like to see it change.
The redevelopment will also include a revamp of the original bus station site at Glebeland, next to the shopping centre, which was demolished with the opening of the new Merthyr Tydfil bus station.
Councillor Geraint Thomas, leader of the council and cabinet member for regeneration said: “Based on proposals in the Town Centre Masterplan, we’re looking to redevelop and repurpose St Tydfil to better suit a 21st century Merthyr Tydfil, maximising its potential.
“We’re also planning to remove the hoarding around the old bus station site at the earliest opportunity, introducing an attractive, temporary scheme that will allow us time to plan and prepare for regeneration of the area as a whole.”
The council is consulting on what people would like to see long-term on the land between the new bus interchange and the civic centre which for consultation purposes the council is calling “ST2.”
The council has listed some ideas but said it is keen to see what other suggestions there might be to help inform and shape the future of the town centre,
The survey can be found at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/StTydfil2/ and the plans will be displayed and comments taken at a new “consultation shop” in St Tydfil Shopping Centre, from February 6-17.
Paper copies of the survey will be available at the shop and from the civic centre.
The semi-covered pedestrian St Tydfil Shopping Centre was refurbished in 1993 and contains more than 50 shops, including national retailers and independent businesses. It also has an upstairs indoor market with more than 30 stalls.
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