Work at the all-new Rhiw multi-storey car park in Bridgend town centre is entering its final stages ahead of a planned opening in autumn 2016.

The Rhiw Hill will be temporarily closed to traffic between 26 September and 23 October to enable Kier Construction to safely remove the site infrastructure, which includes a tower crane, reinstate paving, install benches and make preparations for trees and loading / disabled parking bays to be restored.

The Water Street Bridge will remain open to enable traffic to access the town centre or make deliveries to the Rhiw Shopping Centre and Bridgend Indoor Market. Pedestrian access will be maintained, but will be temporarily affected during the removal of the tower crane.

The opening of the car park has been prioritised so that it can offer 242 bays well ahead of the festive trading season. When complete, it will feature a customer lift, dedicated disabled parking, a ground-level pedestrian crossing to give easy access to the nearby market and town centre shops, flexible parking payment options and modern security measures including CCTV and improved lighting.

At the same time, work will continue on the creation of 28 modern apartments with separate parking at the Rhiw. These will be aimed at people on modest incomes who either work in or near the town centre, or who commute and need to be closer to vital transportation links such as the town’s bus and rail stations.

A commercial unit suitable for a new business is also being developed as part of the project.

Funded by the Welsh Government, Coastal Housing Group and Bridgend County Borough Council, the ambitious £9m Rhiw project forms part of the Vibrant and Viable Places programme.

It is intended to create a community of people living within the heart of the town centre who will use local shops, boost trade and help support the night-time economy.

With the car park set for an autumn 2016 opening, the apartments and commercial unit are expected to be completed by the end of March 2017.