Resort revamp vision approved

A masterplan for Colwyn Bay town centre drawn up by planning consultancy DPP Shape has been backed by Conwy County Council.

The masterplan for the North Wales seaside town includes a remodelled shopping centre, town park and square and new bridge linking the promenade to the town over the North Wales Expressway.

The council also agreed to take forward a housing neighbourhood plan for the Greenfield and Lawson Road area. The first phase of projects, including coastal defence and works at Eirias Park are due to start in January alongside the new town square and refurbished town station which are now underway.

Conwy Council, under The Bay Life Regeneration programme which extends out to 2025 and is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, commissioned DPP Shape to lead a team in Colwyn Bay. The group has created a town wide masterplan, design guide and a local neighbourhood plan focussing on some of the area's housing issues.

Shelagh McNerney, managing director of DPP Shape, said: "Shape's town-wide plan for Colwyn Bay will hopefully provide this beautiful coastal town, set within a stunning environment but currently underperforming for its residents, its businesses and its visitors with a new lease of life."

Despite attractive housing areas in Upper Colwyn Bay and neighbouring Rhos on Sea, the town's housing market is under-performing. The purpose of the masterplan is to balance the social and economic issues to ensure that the town does not follow recent familiar patterns of housing market decline that have characterised other coastal areas in the UK.

Colwyn Bay is part of the Welsh Assembly Government North Wales Coastal Strategic Regeneration Area where DPP Shape is already creating a masterplan for West Rhyl.

DPP Shape led a team consisting of Keppie Massie on strategic property advice, Arc4 on housing strategy and Martin Stockley Associates for transport and infrastructure.

The brief was to improve the vitality of the town centre which is detached from the beach by the A55 and has a particular focus on the residential neighbourhood to the east of the town centre.