They include proposals for hundreds of homes, a spine road, and a new lido swimming pool
Outline plans for the major redevelopment of the Porthcawl seafront have been submitted after years of talks between the local authority and the town’s residents.
The hybrid plans which were submitted in April of 2026, will look for permission to build up to 980 new homes on Porthcawl’s waterfront along with the creation of a new spine road from the Eastern Promenade to Sandy Bay.
Documents say the site covers an area of 43.6 hectares and consists of a “mix of existing commercial and leisure brownfield (such as a fairground) with undeveloped green spaces to the east of Sandy Bay Bowl.” Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter
This includes Griffin Park, the former Coney Beach Pleasure Park, Monster Park, and the Hillsboro Car Park, and is bound by Trecco Bay Caravan Park to the east and the Portway road to the west.
If given the green light by Bridgend County Borough Council the new homes would be situated in the Salt Lake, Coney Beach, and Sandy Bay areas, with ambitions for 50% to be set aside as affordable housing that would “prioritise local people”.
Along with the new housing sites, these proposals would include plans to build a new lido swimming pool and gym, green spaces, shops, coastal defence works, and a number of other leisure attractions.
They could also see the alteration and expansion of the town’s Griffin Park if approved, along with proposed new facilities such as a MUGA sports area.
Additionally, part of the application requests permission to build a new 420m long single carriageway road, which would cut through a section of Griffin Park near the current tennis courts.
It says: “To the west, the spine road will connect to the Eastern Promenade in the form of a three-arm roundabout to the north of the existing ALDI foodstore.
“The spine road scheme will incorporate Mackworth Road, the southern arm of which will be provided as a simple priority junction.
“Its northern arm will be stopped up, forming part of the wider development parcels.”
The long-term and potentially transformative plans for Porthcawl have been met with a great deal of opposition from some locals over the years, with protests and a number of public events held by both the council and residents who are against the contentious scheme.
Critics have raised concerns about the potential pressures that the hundreds of new homes could put on local infrastructure as well as to local medical services and parking capacity.
Others have shared fears over a potential loss of the town’s identity in the wake of the regeneration with many preferring to see a new plan that focuses on tourism and leisure opportunities, as opposed to residential development.
Council bosses previously said they had addressed some of the issues within the plans with a number of changes after feedback from the public consultation process.
These included providing more public open space, reducing the number of proposed homes from an initial 1,100, and reducing building heights so that structures would be no taller than three or four storeys high.
They also say parking issues would be addressed with a refurbished open air car park at Hillsboro and a new public car park at Coney Beach.
The proposed changes for the town come less than a year after the closure of the iconic Coney Beach Pleasure Park in October 2025, which shut for the final time after more than 100 years.
It also comes amid the multi-million refurbishment of the town’s iconic Grand Pavilion and work at the Hillsboro South Car Park which is set to become a civic space for community events.
The submitted plans will now be considered for approval by Bridgend County Borough Council’s planning department in the coming months – with potential for the work to begin in 2027 if they are taken forward.
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