A Grade II listed building which sat empty on a Valleys high street for 35 years has received a new lease of life and been brought back into use. The former on Aberdare's High Street in Cynon Taf (RCT) has been converted into apartments and a new hospitality space having falling into disrepair after being left empty since around 1990.
The council describe the 19th century building has having "great historical significance". It's known locally as the old Rates building after it was converted into council offices and used for rates collection in the 1960s by Urban District Council.
The building has sat empty since around 1990 when it came under private ownership. but new funding has now enabled the site to be transformed and brought back into use.
Morris Property Developments Ltd, who have owned the building since 2022, were helped by officers from RCT Council to secure grant funding to regenerate the building.
A total of 10 apartments have been created, along with a new commercial unit. Local independent café Coco's Coffee and Kitchen opened its doors at the site at the start of September.
The business, which is already a popular name within Aberdare town centre having operated a coffee and candles shop from Canon Street, has moved the café element of Coco's into larger premises.
This move allows its Canon Street branch to build on the success of its in-house manufacture and sales of candles and room fragrance products.
The 10 modern apartments which will be created have already secured tenants. Along with private investment, the funding for the transformation was secured through the Welsh Government's Transforming Towns Programme, which sets out to improve town centres across Wales.
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Funding is provided to develop empty run down properties, improve the appearance of town centres and improve existing premises by introducing innovative services and connectivity.
Councillor Mark Norris, RCT Council's cabinet member for development, described the project as "fantastic news". He said: "It’s provided much-needed homes within the town, enabled a local business to expand and create new local jobs, and contributed to the overall economic regeneration of the town centre.
"We continue to welcome the Welsh Government’s support, via its Transforming Towns Programme, to enable local town centre buildings to thrive again.
"The programme is currently helping us develop the Tonypandy Town Centre Strategy, along a similar path that we’ve seen in Aberdare and several other towns. It supported key investments like the ‘riverside plaza’ project which is ongoing, and recently-completed works that have provided extra parking at Hannah Street in and revitalised the old bingo hall site in Pontypridd.
"I’d like to thank Morris Property Developments Ltd for their fantastic project to bring the old Aberdare Rates building back into excellent use, and wish their commercial tenants Coco’s Coffee and Kitchen the very best as they expand their business and open the doors of their second premises in Aberdare.”