Council backs plan to redevelop 1960s shopping precinct

Twm Owen – Local democracy reporter

A bid to redevelop a 1960s shopping precinct is being supported by a council which forgot to adjust its street lighting for the shorter winter days.

The centre, where there are 20 shops and 11 flats above them as well as a doctors surgery and vets, was left in darkness for nearly two weeks when clocks went back an hour at the end of October.

The street lighting was only adjusted to illuminate from the late afternoon on November 12 which was 17 days later than the official end of British Summer Time when clocks were put back under the day light saving measures.

Torfaen Borough councillors were told at their December meeting the council and other “stakeholders” have been working to support a request by a campaign group to redevelop the square in Cwmbran, though no funding has been awarded as yet.

Mark Ward-Jones presented the petition, on behalf of the Fairwater Square regeneration committee, to Torfaen Borough Council leader Anthony Hunt at the July meeting which called for a share of a £20 million UK Government funding pot awarded to Cwmbran to be allocated to revitalising the run-down neighbourhood shopping area.

Torfaen Borough Council owns the freehold of the site while Bron Afon housing association has a long lease on the residential properties and the square’s former pub and a steering group has been formed with the campaigners to consider if redevelopment is feasible.

The council’s recently appointed interim head of economy Greg Macdonald presented an update at the December meeting which explained the UK Government funding programme which could be used to support any redevelopment.

The council has two representatives on the Cwmbran Neighbourhood Board, originally established in 2024 at the Town Board, which will determine how the UK Government Pride in Place funding is spent and its membership also includes business, community and third sector representatives.

It must set out a vision for the next 10 years, with a more detailed investment plan for the first four years of the programme, by April.

Pontnewydd Labour councillor Stuart Ashley said Fairwater Square, which is Cwmbran’s largest neighbourhood shopping precinct, had been left behind and added the call for investment has been backed by Cwmbran Community Council which he is a member of.

“Fairwater Square is a good example of what was an award winning thing in the 1960s but it obviously has not progressed and is an example of what happens if you don’t ask people what they’d like to see.

“The rest of the new town has weathered, this one hasn’t particularly weathered.”

Cllr Joanne Gauden, the Labour cabinet member responsible for the economy, said she had visited the square and met with every shopkeeper and said: “They all gave me a list of issues that need sorting out and that make footfall difficult to maintain and attract new footfall and manage anti-social behaviour and what could make it much better.”

Labour’s Fairwater councillor Rose Seabourne said the campaign group has already involved pupils from Cwmbran High School in design proposals as well as Gwent Police’s design out crime team.