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#bridgend

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Valleys to Coast unveils plans to transform Bridgend town centre building into new HQ

Valleys to Coast (V2C), which manages more than 6,000 affordable homes across Bridgend and Rhondda Cynon Taf, has acquired Wyndham House as part of a wider strategy to support town centre regeneration. The four-storey building, which fronts onto the town’s historic war memorial, will be refurbished to include office space for over 300 staff, a café-style reception, eight one-bedroom apartments, and a small number of retail units.

The housing association is currently based on Tremains Road but says the move will bring its workforce into the heart of Bridgend, boosting footfall and supporting local businesses. A pre-planning application has been submitted, with detailed proposals expected soon.

Artist’s impressions of the Wyndham House development(Image: Valleys to Coast)

Jo Oak, Chief Executive of Valleys to Coast, said: “This isn’t just a new office for us — it’s a space where colleagues, customers and the wider community can connect, collaborate, and feel proud of the town centre once again. The acquisition of Wyndham House plays a key role in our own ambitious growth plans, but also the county’s wider plans to regenerate the town. With community, sustainability and innovation at its heart, this project marks the next exciting step in our mission to help Bridgend and its people thrive.”

She added: “Within the next 18 months, we will have transformed the building, bringing over 300 of our colleagues right into the heart of Bridgend Town Centre and attracting additional footfall from our customers and visitors. Our exciting plans to retain some commercial units and bring residential space into the town will help it thrive once again.”

The majority of Wyndham House is currently unoccupied, though it still houses Bridgend Post Office and several office units. It is not yet clear what the redevelopment will mean for the post office’s future. In February 2025, Bridgend Council passed a motion opposing its proposed closure.

Valleys to Coast says it will consult with existing tenants and local businesses throughout the process. The organisation has committed £6 million of its own funding to the project and will seek additional support through regeneration and social housing grants.

The building, originally constructed on the site of the former Bridgend Town Hall, has long been considered a candidate for redevelopment. Artist impressions released by V2C show a modernised exterior and improved public-facing frontage.

Chris Elmore MP, who represents Bridgend and Porthcawl, welcomed the announcement: “This really is fantastic news for Valleys to Coast and our town centre. Not only will it house their 300-strong workforce, it will also provide commercial units for new businesses to thrive along with residential spaces. Ever since I was elected last year, I have beat the drum for town centre regeneration and I am very much looking forward to working with Valleys to Coast as the project progresses.”

Brocastle Business Park: £12 Million Investment, Zero Jobs

Brocastle Business Park, a 116-acre site near the A48 and M4, was envisioned as a strategic hub capable of supporting up to 3,000 jobs. Since 2020, the Welsh Government has spent over £12 million on infrastructure, including a £10 million contract awarded to civil engineers Walters to build roads, drainage, and utilities. A further £2 million was invested in 2022 to create an Active Travel route linking the site to Waterton Roundabout, featuring 2km of cycleway, crossings, lighting, and upgraded signals.

Despite these investments, the site remains vacant, with no businesses or jobs currently operating there.

The business park was first scoped out in 2015, when the Welsh Government submitted a pre-application for a new employment site at Brocastle. The plan included up to 770,000 sq ft of industrial and office space, with potential for a rail freight facility due to proximity to the Ford engine plant sidings. The site was described as “one of the most important and prestigious greenfield inward investment sites…within the M4 corridor.”

In 2021, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething announced the completion of infrastructure works, calling Brocastle “investment ready” and highlighting interest from developers and owner-occupiers. Marketing agents JLL were appointed to attract tenants, but no occupiers have committed to date.

One of the most high-profile prospects was INEOS Automotive, which announced plans in 2019 to build a 250,000 sq ft factory at Brocastle to produce its new 4×4 Grenadier vehicle. The project was expected to create up to 500 jobs, but INEOS later abandoned the plan in favour of an existing Mercedes-Benz facility in France.

Artist’s impression of what the INEOS car factory would have looked like
(Image: Welsh Government)

Figures revealed by Andrew RT Davies MS, Senedd Member for South Wales Central, show that £180,000 has been spent over the past three years on maintaining the site, including:

  • £149,677 in facility management across 2022–2025
  • £37,186 on habitat and ecology obligations since July 2022

Andrew RT Davies MS said:

“What people don’t want to see is so much money spent on the development of an asset like Brocastle, only for it to lie empty, gathering dust and costing money every single year.”

He added that while taxpayers support investment to grow the economy, they now expect to see a return on the site’s substantial public funding.

First picture of Cefn Cribwr victim released as man faces court on murder charge

South Wales Police say they were called on Friday 18 April, just after 9.15pm, with a report of concern for the welfare of two people in a property on Bryn Terrace in Cefn Cribwr near Kenfig Hill.

Upon arrival, they discovered the body of 48-year-old Tracey Davies (formerly Young).

56-year-old Michael Davies, from Cefn Cribwr, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of Tracey’s murder. He was charged with murder and will appear at Cardiff Magistrates Court this morning (28 April) at 10am.

Police say that Tracey’s next of kin have been informed.

Detective Inspector Claire Lamerton, from South Wales Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “This has been an incredibly distressing incident for the community in Cefn Cribwr. Our thoughts remain with Tracey’s family and friends.

“We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.”

Ruth Jones MBE receives special recognition at Pride of Wales event

Bridgend-born Ruth received the Special Recognition award at the Ceremony in recognition of her outstanding work in television and media, helping to put Wales on the map in global markets and foster local talent in the film and television industry.

Other winners on the night hosted by Nation Radio’s Angela Jay and Kev Johns included Hair Syrup founder Lucie Macleod, who received the Entrepreneur of the Year award; gymnast Joe Mensah, who won the Young Achiever award; and Morgan’s Army charity co-founders Natalie and Matt Ridler, who took home the Mum and Dad of the Year award.

Lucie Macleod, who received the Entrepreneur of the Year award
(Image: Gareth Danks Photography)Gymnast, Joe Mensah won the Young Achiever award
(Image: Gareth Danks Photography)

Almost 300 people were at the event at the iconic Brangwyn Hall in Swansea which is organised by Nation Radio in partnership with JR Events and held annually to reward unsung heroes across the Nation.

A special highlights programme from the event will be broadcast on Nation Radio across Wales on Sunday 15th June at 9pm till 11pm and available on the Nation Player Mobile app.

Your face. Their tech. Police turn facial recognition back on in Bridgend

South Wales Police will switch on Live Facial Recognition (LFR) cameras in Bridgend town centre this Wednesday, with further deployments planned for Friday 8 August and Wednesday 27 August.

The tech scans faces in real time and compares them to a watchlist of people wanted by police or courts, or flagged as vulnerable or missing. If a match is found, an alert is triggered and reviewed by an officer before any action is taken.

Police say the system helps locate suspects and protect the public — but critics have long raised privacy concerns, especially around surveillance in public spaces. Officers will be on hand to explain the technology and offer demos to anyone curious.

“We always welcome a chat with anyone who sees us and is interested in knowing more,” the force said in a statement.

Images of people not on the watchlist are automatically deleted, and alerts are wiped within 24 hours. CCTV footage used by the system is retained for 31 days.

South Wales Police has used LFR at concerts, city centres, and major public events — including the Wales Airshow and Swansea city centre patrols. Earlier this month, the force also rolled out a mobile facial recognition app to frontline officers, allowing them to identify individuals using a phone camera.

The technology is supplied by NEC’s NeoFace system, which underwent independent testing to assess fairness and accuracy across age, gender and ethnicity. Police say the system is used “responsibly, proportionately and fairly” — but watchdogs and civil liberties groups remain unconvinced.

More on facial recognition and policing in South Wales

South Wales and Gwent Police roll out facial recognition app to frontline officers amid privacy concerns
Published July 2025: Forces introduce mobile tech allowing officers to identify individuals in real time — raising fresh questions over surveillance and civil liberties.

Police to use live facial recognition cameras in Swansea city centre
Published May 2025: South Wales Police confirm LFR deployment in Swansea as part of public safety strategy, with marked zones and public engagement promised.

South Wales Police restarts facial recognition tech usage — although critics reiterate privacy concerns
Published August 2023: Force resumes use of LFR following independent testing, but watchdogs and campaigners remain sceptical about safeguards and oversight.

South Wales Police to carry out live facial recognition trial
Published October 2022: Initial pilot of LFR technology launched in South Wales, with public feedback invited and transparency measures outlined.

Former Bridgend MP appears in court over alleged false passport

Wallis, 41, of Butetown, Cardiff, represented Bridgend from 2019 to 2024 and became the first openly transgender MP in the House of Commons in 2022. She appeared in court on Monday, 21 July, representing herself.

The charge — possession of a false passport “without reasonable excuse” — relates to an alleged offence in April 2022, while Wallis was still an MP. Although the charge was not formally read out in court, it had previously been outlined during an earlier hearing at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court.

During the brief hearing, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, advised Wallis to seek legal representation or at least initial advice before proceeding. Wallis confirmed that while she is known as Katie, her legal name remains Jamie Wallis. The judge also raised questions about whether a gender recognition certificate had been issued, and whether both names should be used in court documents.

Wallis was released on bail and is scheduled to return to court on 15 August. No plea has been entered, and the prosecution has been ordered to provide hard copies of case papers to the defendant.

The case comes just months after Wallis was sentenced for harassing her ex-wife, following a separate criminal investigation. As previously reported by Swansea Bay News, Wallis was handed a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of a sustained campaign of harassment.