Council planning 21st Century transformation for shopping centre

A Merthyr Tydfil shopping centre built in 1970 is set for a 21^st century transformation after being purchased by the County Borough Council.

As part of the authority’s 15-year town centre ‘Masterplan’, St Tydfil Shopping Centre will get a new look – and residents, businesses and shoppers are being asked 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 Transport Interchange.

“Based on proposals in the Town Centre Masterplan, we’re looking to redevelop and repurpose St Tydfil to better suit a 21^st century Merthyr Tydfil, maximising its potential,” said Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration Cllr Geraint Thomas.

“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.”

We would like to hear from you about what you would like to see long-term on the land between the new bus interchange and the Civic Centre - an area which for consultation purposes we are calling ‘ST2’.

Listed below are some ideas we would welcome your thoughts on as users of the town centre. We would also be very interested in any other suggestions you might have.  Your views will help inform and shape the future of your town centre, so we really value your input.

As well as the survey, a link to which is found here, we’ll also be displaying the plans and taking comments at our new ‘consultation shop’ in St Tydfil Shopping Centre, fom 6-17 February, 2023.

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.

Among the ideas for ST2 are:

• 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
• more independent and start-up businesses