Views Requested on Plans for Port Talbot’s Historic Plaza Cinema

B - Original Content Neath Port Talbot South West Wales

Rachel Jones , 24th June 2019

People are being asked for their views on Neath Port Talbot Council’s plans to give a new lease of life to the art-deco former Plaza Cinema building in Port Talbot’s town centre.

The Council has commissioned Asbri Planning Ltd to undertake pre-application consultation on proposals to convert the Grade 11 listed building into a multi-purpose community hub with, among other facilities, a recreational hall, rentable office and meeting space for new and existing local businesses and community groups, a gymnasium, a café, the retention of two retail units at the front, car parking and a cycle store.

The final designs also include 50m² of solar PV energy panels and an electric vehicle charging point.

The plans involve the partial demolition of the rear section of the building, leaving in place its distinctive art-deco façade. Film stars Richard Burton and Sir Anthony Hopkins were among the early customers at the old Plaza, which opened its doors in1940 and closed them for the last time in 1999.

Once completed, the new Plaza will be run by YMCA Port Talbot which has been active in the town for more than 120 years providing cultural and sporting activities, support for young people and a base for lifelong learning for many generations.

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council aims to get full planning permission for the development subject to the pre-application consultation now being carried out by Asbri.

Andy Brown, Chief Executive of YMCA Port Talbot, said:

“The new Plaza will enable the YMCA to expand and develop in the town, providing new services and opportunities to local residents, businesses and other community groups. When it opens, we will be able to offer state-of-the-art, modern facilities creating a step change in the sort of things that we can deliver, whilst at the same time honouring the proud history and heritage that the building already has.”

Councillor Rob Jones, the Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council added:

“These proposals aim to make the Plaza building a popular part of Port Talbot once again and they tie in with the recent revival of this part of the town centre.

“It’s pleasing to see the long-awaited plans for the Plaza now starting to take shape, bringing a local landmark that has sadly fallen into disrepair back into community use. We look forward to working with YMCA Port Talbot to ensure the new facilities make as much of a contribution to life in the town as the building did in its previous incarnation.”

Meyrick Sheen, the father of Hollywood star Michael Sheen, has been involved in discussions to re-develop the Plaza for a number of years and will be involved in the project as a member of the YMCA Port Talbot Board of Trustees.

He said:

“I am very, very happy that the re-development of this iconic building is now progressing well to the planning stage and I will be pleased to be involved in the development of the Plaza as a new community hub for Port Talbot right in the centre of town. As someone who has worked for many years to ensure this building has a future it is fantastic to see the plans are now starting to come to fruition.”

Mae cais i bobl roi eu barn ar gynlluniau Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot i roi bywyd newydd i adeilad ‘art-deco’ sinema’r Plaza gynt, yng nghanol tref Port Talbot.

Mae’r Cyngor wedi comisiynu Asbri Planning Ltd i gynnal ymgynghoriad cyn-ymgeisio ar gynigion i drosi’r adeilad rhestredig Gradd II yn ganolbwynt cymunedol amlbwrpas, gyda neuadd adloniant, swyddfa y gellir ei rhentu, a man cyfarfod ar gyfer busnesau lleol hen a newydd a grwpiau cymunedol, ymhlith cyfleusterau eraill fydd yn cynnwys campfa, caffi, cadw dwy uned fanwerthu yn y blaen, maes parcio a storfa feiciau.

Mae’r cynlluniau terfynol hefyd yn cynnwys 50m² o baneli ynni solar ffotofoltaig (PV) a phwynt gwefru ar gyfer cerbydau trydan.

Rhan arall o’r cynlluniau fydd dymchwel rhan o gefn yr adeilad, gan adael y ffasâd ‘art-deco’ trawiadol fel y mae. Y sêr ffilmiau Richard Burton a Syr Anthony Hopkins oedd rhai o gwsmeriaid cynnar yr hen Plaza, a agorodd ei ddrysau yn 1940, a’u cau am y tro olaf yn 1999.

Ar ôl ei gwblhau, bydd y Plaza newydd yng ngofal YMCA Port Talbot, sydd wedi bod yn weithredol yn y dref ers dros 120 o flynyddoedd, yn darparu gweithgareddau diwylliannol a chwaraeon, cefnogaeth i bobl ifanc a sylfaen ar gyfer dysgu gydol oes i genedlaethau lawer.

Nod Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Castell-nedd Port Talbot yw sicrhau caniatâd cynllunio llawn ar gyfer y datblygiad, yn amodol ar yr ymgynghoriad cyn-ymgeisio sydd bellach ar waith gan Asbri.

Dywedodd Andy Brown, Rheolwr YMCA Port Talbot:

“Bydd y Plaza newydd yn gyfle i’r YMCA ehangu a datblygu yn y dref, gan ddarparu gwasanaethau a chyfleoedd newydd i drigolion lleol, busnesau a grwpiau cymunedol newydd. Pan fydd yn agor, byddwn ni’n gallu cynnig y cyfleusterau modern diweddaraf, gan greu newid pwysig yn y math o bethau y gallwn ni eu cyflawni, ochr yn ochr ag anrhydeddu holl falchder yr hanes a’r dreftadaeth sydd gan yr adeilad eisoes.”

Ychwanegodd y Cynghorydd Rob Jones, Arweinydd Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot:

“Nod y cynlluniau hyn yw gwneud adeilad y Plaza yn rhan boblogaidd o Bort Talbot unwaith eto, ac maen nhw’n cysylltu â’r adfywiad yn y rhan hon o ganol y dref yn ddiweddar.

“Mae’n braf gweld y cynlluniau hirddisgwyliedig ar gyfer y Plaza yn awr yn dwyn ffrwyth, fel bod tirnod lleol sydd wedi bod yn dadfeilio yn cael ei ddefnyddio gan y gymuned eto. Rydyn ni’n edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda YMCA Port Talbot i sicrhau bod y cyfleusterau newydd yn gwneud cymaint o gyfraniad i fywyd yn y dref ag a wnaeth yr adeilad yn ei ffurf flaenorol.”