Car park revamp criticised as a ‘1970s design’ despite approval

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

A revamp intended to breathe new life into a tired multi-storey car park has been dismissed as like something from the 1970s.

Councillors were recommended to approve refurbishment works, including new champagne gold finished vertical fin cladding, to the current brick car park with the facelift part of a project intended to boost a town centre’s fortunes.

But Cllr Mark Jones declared himself less than impressed with the redesign for the brick car park, built in the 1980s, that is currently split over four levels.

He said: “This car park is going back to something out of the mid 70s.”

Torfaen Borough Council’s planning committee considered the application, by its own economic development department, as part of the Pontypool Cultural Hub and Cafe Quarter which is supported by £7.6m from the previous UK Government’s Levelling Up fund.

The committee has previously twice approved plans for the refurbishment of the car park, which is next to the Civic Centre, in Pontypool but the plans have had to be changed due to rising costs.

The latest rethink is a result of the council having to dip into a further £1.5m. from a separate UK Government funding scheme, the Pride in Place award, to make up a shortfall in the project budget.

The originally approved 2023 plan to revamp the car park caused controversy when both the council’s own heritage and landscape officers criticised the “modern, bold design” using stainless steel and mesh cladding.

It was intended to create a “stand-out building that would be an attraction” but officers said it would be at odds with its setting in the conservation area and could harm the listed Civic Centre building it stands next to.

Despite gaining approval the plans had to be altered and a scaled back proposal was approved in 2024 but those have also now been redrawn.

Enhance safety 

The plans are intended to enhance safety of the car park and upgrade lighting and pedestrian routes within it including the stairwell with, planning officer Mia McAndrew said, the aim of “encouraging visitors and particularly at night time.”

However toilets and a lift previously proposed will no longer be provided. The car park currently has 264 standard parking spaces but that will be remodelled to 246 with an additional 11 disabled bays and four electric vehicle charging points.

The committee had minutes earlier approved a linked application, by the council, to convert the nearby Hanbury Road public toilets to a restaurant, including a new extension over the Italian Gardens in Pontypool Park which Cllr Jones compared to a space ship.

But he said he thought the council had taken an opposite approach with the car park: “We’re going from the cafe being a really modern looking building and jumping to this car park is going back to something out of the mid 70s. Do we want modern or are we going back in time?

Ms McAndrew replied: “This application is definitely more scaled back than previous proposals.”

She said costs had forced the redesign and the restaurant plan was considered the “more important element” of the scheme.

Blaenavon independent Janet Jones said: “I share Cllr Mark Jones’ thoughts it doesn’t look appealing to me compared to what we are doing across the road. It does nothing for us as a car park but I don’t like the car park as it is presently.”

Concerned

Gaynor James, Labour councillor for Pontypool, backed the plan and said: “You can’t really see how good it is going to be (from the picture) but the way it looks today that is a million times better.”

Upper Cwmbran Labour member Steve Evans said he was concerned work at both the toilet block and the car park could badly impact traffic if they take place at the same time.

He said: “Previous works that went on in Pontypool caused absolute chaos with traffic in and out. I’m afraid it could happen again.”

Ms McAndrew said details will be agreed in a construction environmental management plan that will be required but said as the grant funding is time limited work will likely take place at the same time but the plans will be used to manage the impact.

The committee approved the car park application with nine votes in favour and only Cllr Mark Jones voting against. He added “this particular version” when he was asked for his vote.