The council has submitted plans to demolish more empty shops but some are not happy about the proposed replacement
A proposal to demolish parts of a struggling high street in Wales has been submitted. Denbighshire council, having secured funding from the UK Government and the Welsh Government, aims to improve sections of Rhyl town centre.
Sections of the southern end of the high street have already been demolished due to structural safety concerns. Now, the council is seeking to knock down additional vacant buildings to clear the area. This move comes as the town grapples with revitalising its town centre, which currently houses a significant number of empty units.
Given the lack of demand for new units in this location, the council has proposed creating a “pocket park”. An application for this has been submitted to the council’s own planning department. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter here
These pocket parks are small areas featuring green spaces and seating, reports North Wales Live.
However, the proposal has sparked local concerns with some questioning why modern, attractive units haven’t been constructed or why existing properties haven’t been refurbished for retail and housing.
Properties on Rhyl high street to be demolished for new ‘pocket park’
Others have expressed worries about potential misuse of the park. One local resident voiced fears that “It will become another area for anti social behaviour”, while another sarcastically suggested that “seagulls and smackheads” would be the primary users of the park.
Another added: “Absolute NO! More parks for drug users. Bring back something like the roller skating park for all ages to use.”
However, there were some who were in favour of the idea. One supporter said: “I actually like the concept of the pocket park. I think it is imaginative.
“The town centre has nothing like it. Hopefully people will see it as an asset. Places like these work in other towns.”
Properties on Rhyl high street to be demolished for new ‘pocket park’
In response to the feedback, the council stated: “It is important to note that the overwhelming majority of respondents who had constructive criticism of the scheme felt that anti-social behaviour was an issue to consider further.
“In line with this useful feedback the design was adjusted to raise the height of the front facing planting bed to reduce opportunity for fouling or damage to vegetation.
“In addition, we have also made plans to add additional CCTV to this area as part of this scheme.”
Regarding the project, the council added: “The vision for the scheme begins with the Council purchasing the buildings that formerly constituted the site and making the decision to demolish part of them in 2022.
“This work was completed with the assistance of Welsh Government funding under their Transforming Towns Programme. We were legally required to demolish 123-125 High Street because they had become structurally unsafe and were at risk of collapse.
“Our strategy is to demolish the remaining buildings on the site and replace them with the pocket park.
“There has been great care and much consideration given to dealing with the buildings remaining on the site since the emergency demolition of 123-125 High Street.
“Notably, it was considered whether we could retrofit the remaining buildings and replace those demolished with new buildings. Ultimately, the decision was made not to opt for this strategy for the following reasons:
- It is not economically viable to refurbish the buildings due to lack of funding options.
- Demolition provides an opportunity to create a more attractive gateway to the town centre.
- In previous work carried out by Denbighshire County Council in Rhyl Town Centre, strong feedback was received concerning there not being enough pleasant public places to dwell.
- Rhyl town centre has the lowest level of ‘canopy cover’ (i.e. natural environment such as trees and plants) of almost any town in Wales. Creating a new space with plants and trees will go a long way to improving local biodiversity.
- Considering the context of the wider challenges faced by the UK high street, there is not a demand for new residential or retail premises in this location at this time.”
The proposal will now be considered by planners at Denbighshire council.