The next phase of a £15m intergrated transport hub in Port Talbot, near Swansea, is being considered by planners this week, the South Wales Evening Post reported.
The proposal for a new ‘bus canopy,’ public square, cafe kiosk, taxi rank and staff accommodation follows a £11.3m upgrade to Port Talbot’s nearby Parkway railway station.
Neath Port Talbot Council planners were due to consider the proposal on Wednesday, August 24.
The project forms part of Neath Port Talbot Council’s wider regeneration plans for Port Talbot’s town centre and Harbourside, which has received £9.6m in funds from the Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places programme.
The planning documents say that the new integrated transport hub will provide a link to employment and residential areas in and around the town, improving accessibility.
The application has been recommended for approval, subject to conditions.
An officer’s report, due to be considered by the council’s planning committee, said: “The proposal will contribute significantly to the character of the area and the ongoing regeneration of Port Talbot under the Vibrant and Viable Places Programme, and would have no unacceptable impacts on residential and visual amenity, on highway and pedestrian safety or in terms of flood risk.”
Speaking in November when the plans were first released, Neath Port Talbot Council leader, Ali Thomas, said: “If approved, the integrated transport hub next to Port Talbot Parkway Station would not only improve access to employment opportunities but improve the image of Port Talbot as a gateway to the county borough and the wider region.”
