The Llewelyn Walk entrance |
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| Location | Cwmbran, Torfaen, Wales |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 1959 |
| Owner | Prudential plc |
| No. of anchor tenants | 7[1] |
| Parking | 4,000 |
Cwmbran Shopping Centre is the second largest shopping centre in Wales. It is located in Cwmbran, Torfaen. Unlike some large shopping centres on the outskirts of towns and cities, Cwmbran Town Shopping Centre is in its own designated area in the centre of all the districts and neighbourhoods surrounding it.
The Development Corporation prepared a Master Plan for the development of the New Town which resulted in the creation of the original seven neighbourhoods which contained some local services, and housing and were located within easy reach of the Town Centre. The early years of the New Town were dominated by housebuilding with a lack of services for the town. It was not until 1959 that construction of the central retail began despite the fact that considerations of its design began in 1951. The Town Centre was developed as a purpose built central area by the Development Corporation and the Town Centre has been the focal point for retail development in Torfaen since its inception as a New Town.
Gwent Square was the first area to be constructed. In 1964, David Evans opened - this was the largest department store in Cwmbran at the time. By the late 1960s the area surrounding Gwent Square was built upon. General Rees Square was named after General Wynford Rees, a Commander of the British Indian Army, Deputy Lieutenant of Monmouthsire and First Manager of the Cwmbran Development Corporation. He died in 1959 and so was unable to see the Town Centre fully completed. In 1972 the Congress Theatre was built alongside Gwent House in Gwent Square.
Further expansions followed in the late 70s and early 80s. By 1986, Cwmbran had reached its target popualtion and the town centre was under pressure from overcrowding. The completion and opening of Cwmbran Drive in March 1988 saw the disbandment of Cwmbran Development Corporation and all assets and future projects were handed over to Torfaen County Borough Council. In the early 1990s, Cwmbran Retail Park (originally Lock Gate Retail Park) was built to the west of Cwmbran Drive and the Town Centre, making more room for business and economic growth.
Cwmbran Town Centre is owned by Prudential and houses some of the most famous "High Street shops" in the UK. Since its inception, the centre has been extended several times and many of the shop units have changed hands. As of 2006 the largest unit is occupied by Asda. The unit was built in 2000 in the northwest corner of the centre on the site formerly occupied by the old Swalec offices, the original J. Sainsbury's supermarket, the health centre, and the Dyfed House office block, amongst others.
In 2008, Leisure @ Cwmbran opened in the north-east corner of the Town Centre on Glyndwr Road. It hosts a cinema, bowling complex, Indian restaurant, Italian restaurant, Gravy Train, Delilah's Cocktail Bar and a children's crèche.
As of August 2011, plans have been approved for an extension to the south-east of the Town Centre. A new supermarket, hotel and office block will be built upon wasteland on Grange Road, south of the Arvin Meritor factory. Construction is to commence January 2012.
The centre also houses other main shopping retailers including but not limited to: Argos; Barclays; Blockbuster Video; The Body Shop; Burtons; Dorothy Perkins; F. Hinds; HMV; House of Fraser; HSBC; Iceland; KFC; Marks and Spencer; Matalan; McDonald's; NatWest; New Look; Pizza Hut; Post Office; River Island; H. Samuel; Somerfield; Superdrug; Topman/Topshop; Wetherspoon's (The John Fielding);WHSmith and Wilkinson.
The centre is also home to Cwmbran Library; Cwmbran's Citizens Advice Bureau; 'Scene' Cinema; the Congress Theatre and some civil service offices. Outside of the centre other retailers have taken advantage of its presence by locating their businesses there. Sainsbury's; Homebase; B&Q; Next; Pets at Home; Lidl & Aldi are all within walking distance of the shopping centre.
Cwmbran Shopping Centre is a popular shopping destination as it is mostly under cover and has over two thousand free car parking spaces - all within walking distance of the shops. Cwmbran's main bus station is located in Gwent Square and Cwmbran railway station is situated north-east of the town centre on Somerset Road.