Residents and businesses in Porth are encouraged to have their say on the Council’s draft Town Centre regeneration strategy – which would transform the area by introducing a modern Transport Hub and Station Quarter.

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A six-week public consultation into the draft strategy begins on Monday, October 29, after Cabinet agreed to consult on the plans. The Council is asking individuals, groups, businesses and organisations in Porth for their views on the draft strategy, and there are a number of ways the community can participate.

The draft strategy includes transformational plans for Porth, to vastly improve connectivity in the Town. It includes a modern Transport Hub and Station Quarter including bus interchange, taxi rank, cycle stores and train station links – and to explore the possibility of a new ticketing system to link all journeys across bus and rail.

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The new Transport Hub is outlined for the site of the current Alec Jones Day Centre, and it is proposed that all services at the Day Centre would move to Porth Plaza as part of a wider Community Hub. This would provide direct access to important services residents need on a daily basis, under one roof.

The plans also set out a number of other important projects across Porth – including additional parking for the Town Centre, extending the Park and Ride provision, improvements to the Town Centre street scene, the redevelopment of the former Porth Junior School site, and rolling out the Town Centre Maintenance Grant for landlords and business owners.

In order to take part in the consultation, residents can complete an online survey accessible via the Council’s website (from October 29), or email their views directly to [email protected]. The Council will also be hosting a number of engagement events locally, so residents can speak to Officers, find out more about the plans and have their say. The events will be held at:

Porth Plaza, November 20 (2pm-6.30pm)
Morrisons Car Park, November 29 (10am-2pm)
Gilfach Goch Community Centre, December 4 (10am-midday)
Tonyrefail Leisure Centre, December 4 (5pm-7pm)
Waun Wen Community Centre, Trebanog, December 6 (10am-midday)
Ferndale Library, December 7 (10am-midday)

Councillor Robert Bevan, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Housing, said:

“Cabinet has recently discussed the Council’s draft strategy for Porth Town Centre, and a vital part of the process going forward is engaging with the community to get their views. The strategy is in draft form and can be further shaped – and therefore the consultation is a meaningful exercise to take people’s views on board.

“The plans intend to transform Porth, directly tackling the challenges which face the Town. Connectivity and integration between bus and rail service is an existing problem, which is why the strategy puts forward, at its heart, a new Transport Hub and Station Quarter. As the gateway to Rhondda Fach and Rhondda Fawr, Porth is ideally placed for strategic development to take advantage of the opportunities arising from the South Wales Metro by 2023.

“The strategy also sets out important plans for a new Community Hub – a model for the delivery of vital services which Cabinet has recently supported. The consultation will also be targeted to users of these services, including the current Alec Jones Day Centre which is outlined for relocation in the strategy.

“I would urge residents, groups, businesses and organisations to take part in the consultation – whether this is by filling in an online survey, emailing the Council or speaking face-to-face with officers at our engagement events.”

The consultation period will last for six weeks, ending on Monday, December 10. For more information on the draft strategy, and to have your say, visit https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/GetInvolved/Consultations/CurrentConsultations/CurrentConsultations.aspx