Pontypool Town Centre Regeneration

Pontypool Cultural Hub and Café Quarter

The Pontypool Cultural Hub and Café Quarter aims to transform the southern part of the town centre into a vibrant visitor attraction.

The £9.3m project will focus on three new developments:

Park Entrance Café

The toilets on Hanbury Road will be redeveloped into a high-quality café/restaurant overlooking the Italian Gardens and Pontypool Park. It aims to attract the estimated 300,000 people who visit the park every year into the town centre. It will include new accessible public toilet facilities.

St James’ Church Cultural Hub

The Grade II-listed building will be transformed into a cultural hub with food and exhibition space, bar and space for community events and activities, contributing to the town’s cultural regeneration.

Glantorvaen Road car park

The car park will undergo renovation to incorporate new designated disabled parking bays and electric vehicle charging points. The upgrade will also include the installation of enhanced lighting and solar panels to improve energy efficiency and sustainability.

The Pontypool Cultural Hub & Café quarter project has received £7.6m from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund, which aims to create jobs, drive economic growth and help restore people’s pride in the places where they live.

The council is leading on the park entrance café and car park projects and supporting the development of St James’ Church which is being carried out by a private investor.

Construction work is expected to begin on the café and car park in early 2026. The existing toilet facilities and car park will be temporarily closed to facilitate the planned improvement works. Further information, including confirmed dates, will be shared once available.

The project, which is part of the council’s Pontypool Placemaking Plan, is expected to be completed by mid-2027

Download a copy of the Levelling Up Fund Round 2 bid application for Pontypool Cultural Hub & Café Quarter here.

Keep up to date with progress on the Pontypool Cultural Hub and Café Quarter development on Facebook and Twitter.

For information about how Torfaen Council’s Foundational Economy team can support new businesses in Pontypool, contact businessdirect@torfaen.gov.uk.