Mercia Real Estate (MRE) has been given the go head for their application to change use of the former Festival Park shopping mall, Ebbw Vale.
Planning has been secured to change the use of the former shopping mall into an employment led business centre, including demolition of a small number of the existing units and the use of the existing floor areas as a base for additional yard space, parking or roads and paths along with external modifications to the existing units (introducing new doors and replacement windows and removing the shopfronts, replacing them with internal facades). Also included in the plans is the proposed resurfacing of the central walkway to create a service/access road and repurposing of the yard (to formalise access routes and car parking).
Samuel Clark, CEO for Mercia Real Estate commented “The site is currently vacant and the application captures the opportunity to transform and repurpose the existing shopping mall. The focus will be on providing space for a mixture of businesses, trades and warehouse operators, but the proposals will allow a full range of employment generating activities to be considered. We are confident that the proposed new plans for Festival Park will be an attractive proposition to new and existing businesses”.
Festival Park is located approximately 3 km (1.9 miles) south of Ebbw Vale town centre and comprises a c.100,000 sq. ft. retail outlet scheme together with approximately 31 ha (77 acres) of landscaped parklands all set within a stunning hill side setting.
The site was formerly home to the Garden Festival of Wales, part of the National Gardens Festivals Scheme which was created by the UK Government in the 1980s to reposition former industrial sites as tourist destinations as part of a wider regeneration drive.
The new vision for the Mall is to recycle and repurpose the existing land and buildings to create a mixed-use business centre for a range of employment generating uses including some space for professional services, food and drink,offices and commercial uses.
Work will commence on site in late 2023.
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