Pendine beach car park re-opens

Pendine’s main car park has re-opened following the completion of a phase of works associated with a £7million development scheme.

The car park, off Marsh Road, has been closed for some time to allow contractors working on behalf of Carmarthenshire County Council to work on the Pendine Tourism Attractor Project which will feature a new state-of-the-art museum dedicated to Pendine’s historic association with land speed, as well as a 42-bed eco activity holiday resort.

Although the car park is open, there is no through access to the beach and signage is in place to direct the public.

The developments at Pendine are part of the Welsh Government’s wider EU funded Tourism Attractor Destination programme, led by Visit Wales, which aims to create 11 must see destinations across Wales.

Carmarthenshire County Council successfully secured £3million from the European Regional Development Fund, and £1.5million Targeted Match Funding from Welsh Government towards the scheme, with the remaining £2.5million committed from the council’s capital programme.

It is hoped the scheme will deliver an additional economic boost to the regional economy of £3.3million a year.

The project builds on the council’s efforts over the last nine years to improve the Pendine area, including enhanced gateways, a new £800k promenade, and investment in commercial property, including the £1million Parry Thomas Centre.

Completion of the scheme will be delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but work is progressing at pace so far as restrictions and resources allow.

Cllr Hazel Evans, Executive Board Member for Environment, said: “We thank visitors, local residents and local businesses for their patience whilst our contractors closed the car park to complete a phase of this exciting development in Pendine.”