Bridgend residents will see town centre changes take shape

beehiveweb.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-10 19:10 4 min read

Urban street scene showing roadworks with orange safety cones and building renovation scaffolding.

By the Beehive Web Newsdesk | 17 July 2026

Bridgend’s town centre regeneration is moving into a visible new phase, led by a £60 million Bridgend College campus at Cheapside that is expected to open in early 2027. Other schemes are nearing completion, while the council’s purchase of the Rhiw Shopping Centre site has opened the way for revised plans covering a prominent 2.27-acre part of the town.

Bridgend County Borough Council presented the latest position to members of its Communities, Environment and Housing Committee. The work forms part of the Bridgend Town Centre Masterplan, a 10-year strategy finalised in 2021 to combine housing, employment, education, culture, leisure and retail development.

£60 million college campus leads the active projects

The new Bridgend College campus is the largest named investment in the update. Located at Cheapside, the £60 million development is expected to welcome students early next year, bringing a major education site directly into the town centre.

The £20 million Sunnyside Wellness Village is also nearing completion. The council did not provide a precise opening date in this update, so its next confirmed milestone remains the completion of the development.

Bridgend residents will see town centre changes take shape

At Wyndham House, housing association Valleys To Coast is carrying out a £1.7 million redevelopment. The plans include ground-floor space intended for additional shops and kiosks, linking the building project with efforts to increase commercial activity at street level.

Project or measure	Confirmed position on 17 July 2026
Bridgend College campus, Cheapside	£60 million development; expected to open in early 2027
Sunnyside Wellness Village	£20 million scheme nearing completion
Wyndham House	£1.7 million redevelopment with space for shops and kiosks
Rhiw Shopping Centre site	2.27-acre site purchased by the council; regeneration plans under review
Town heritage trail	Launched with Bridgend Library and Bridgend Town Council
Town-centre planting	New or upgraded planters, shrubs and trees introduced
Experimental traffic order	Running since April while traffic surveys continue

Rhiw purchase puts earlier plans back under review

Bridgend County Borough Council’s acquisition of the Rhiw Shopping Centre site gives the authority control of a substantial town-centre location. Rather than confirming a final redevelopment scheme, the council said the purchase allows it to take a fresh look at the area’s regeneration plans.

That distinction matters for residents assessing the pace of change: the purchase is complete, but the future form and timetable of the Rhiw development remain to be determined. No construction start date or final design was included in the committee update.

The wider masterplan aims to increase the number of people living in the centre, improve public spaces, support businesses and strengthen walking, cycling and transport connections. It also seeks to preserve Bridgend’s heritage and identity while creating a broader mix of activity beyond conventional retail.

Traffic surveys continue under the experimental order

An 18-month experimental traffic regulation order has been operating in the town centre since April 2026. Traffic surveys are continuing while the order is in place, meaning the present arrangement is still being tested rather than described as a permanent settlement.

For people travelling into Bridgend, transport changes extend beyond the road network. Further work is examining options to redevelop Bridgend Railway Station, create a new entrance and improve connections between the station and the town centre. The update did not confirm a design, budget or delivery date for that work.

Residents and businesses will also see smaller-scale changes alongside the major construction projects. A town heritage trail has already been launched, while planters, shrubs and trees have been installed or upgraded at several locations. Work is continuing to develop the evening economy and build on Bridgend’s concentration of restaurants.

Early 2027 is the next stated opening milestone

Councillor Colin Davies, the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing, said major projects were progressing or nearing completion and described the masterplan as central to the town centre’s long-term future.

The next dated milestone in the council’s update is the anticipated opening of the Bridgend College campus in early 2027. Timings for the Sunnyside Wellness Village, the Rhiw site and possible railway-station improvements have not yet been specified.

Source: Bridgend County Borough Council News

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

The project costs, locations, delivery stages and stated opening window were checked against the council update published on 17 July 2026.

Checks

Confirmed the £60 million value and early 2027 opening expectation for the Bridgend Colleg...
Separated completed measures from projects nearing completion and proposals still under re...
Checked the stated £20 million and £1.7 million investment figures.
Retained the uncertainty around Rhiw, the railway station and projects without confirmed c...

Bridgend County Borough Council News Check wider coverage