Parc Dewi Sant in Carmarthen has approached a major milestone after attracting 60 organisations to the site in two years, transforming the historic estate into one of Wales’ most significant integrated health and wellbeing campuses.
Set within 38 acres of the former St David’s psychiatric hospital site, Parc Dewi Sant now hosts around 80 occupiers spanning primary care, therapy and rehabilitation services, nursing education, specialist autism provision, charities and a wide range of wellbeing and community organisations.
Demand for space across the main buildings has been strong, with the majority now occupied. Attention is now turning to two remaining buildings on the estate which require significant restoration and are expected to form the next phase of development.
The owners say discussions are already underway with organisations exploring how the buildings could be repurposed to support additional healthcare, rehabilitation and community services. They are looking to partner with organisations looking to maximise the buildings purpose before undertaking the significant works required.
Potential future uses being considered include nursing care provision, mental health step-down accommodation, and complementary services that strengthen the wider health and wellbeing ecosystem already established on site.
Originally developed in the 19th century as a county asylum and later used for NHS mental health services until 2001, the estate is now being reimagined as a modern campus focused on prevention, education and community wellbeing.
Today the campus brings together a diverse range of services in one location. These include GP provision alongside NHS services such as diabetic eye screening, antenatal clinics, weight management and smoking cessation programmes.
Community health services including social prescribers, the Hywel Dda Community Resource Team and the Parent and Infant Feeding Group also operate from the site, alongside specialist facilities such as Hafen Derwen and the Cwm Seren mental health unit.
Alongside clinical provision, the site also hosts a range of wellbeing, leisure and community organisations including the Better Health and Wellbeing Hub, Hwybod + gym and a variety of therapy, rehabilitation and support services working across physical and mental health.
Parc Dewi Sant serves a strategic catchment of around 187,000 people across Carmarthenshire and is close to Glangwili Hospital, providing complementary services that support prevention, rehabilitation and community wellbeing.
Mark Andrews, Director, Parc Dewi Sant, said:
“It has been a privilege to become custodians of such a historic and important estate in the heart of Carmarthen.
“From the outset we believed the site had enormous potential and it is incredibly rewarding to see such a vibrant community of organisations now operating here.
“To have 80 occupiers on site, including 60 who have joined us in the past two years, is a fantastic milestone and a real testament to the vision for Parc Dewi Sant.
“As the main buildings reach capacity, our focus now turns to the remaining buildings and how they can be brought back into productive use.
“We would welcome conversations with organisations that can bring complementary services and ideas to the site and help us continue building a campus that supports health, wellbeing and community life across Carmarthenshire.”
Organisations based on the campus say the environment has created valuable opportunities for collaboration.
Meddygfa Parc is a new NHS GP surgery on the campus, having relocated from the town centre last month.
Jodi Bateman from the surgery said:
“We feel incredibly fortunate to have moved to the beautiful surroundings of Parc Dewi Sant. This exciting new chapter allows us to continue providing high-quality care in a welcoming and modern environment.
“Our new premises provide us with the space and facilities to expand and develop the services we are able to offer, helping us to better meet the needs of our growing community.”
The site will also host a free, public Open Day on Saturday 14 March, offering residents the opportunity to explore the campus and meet some of the organisations based there.
