Glamorgan Heritage coastal site to be sold25th April 2012

Bridgend County Borough Council, owners of the former Ogmore Residential Centre, has appointed Savills to handle the sale of the property, following the recent grant of outline planning consent.
 
Gareth Carter, development director at Savills Cardiff office said: “It was a challenging process to achieve planning consent for the site, which is located within the Glamorgan Heritage Coastline. The site extends to approximately 7.96 acres, and occupies a prominent position above the built-up part of the village of Ogmore-By-Sea. It has spectacular panoramic views over the Bristol Channel towards the Somerset coastline, Swansea Bay, Merthyr Mawr beach and sand dunes.
 
“The site comes with planning consent that will enable development of approximately 80 houses and a proportion of affordable housing.  We intend to bring the site to the market in the next few months with the intention of sale by informal tender.  We are already beginning discussions with a number of national housebuilders and I am sure there will be competitive interest in the site.
 
“While the housing market in South Wales remains challenging, there are signs of a recovery and demand for housing land with the benefit of planning consent, particularly where conventional family housing can be delivered.  We predict that residential property prices will begin to rise again during 2013 and this fits exactly the timeline for the construction phase of the development.  The site is strategically placed in an accessible location between Bridgend and Cowbridge and is within 20 minutes drive of Cardiff.  We would expect buyers for houses in this property will be a mixture of families, commuters, first time buyers and retirees.”
 
Fiona Blick, Group Manager for Property Services at Bridgend County Borough Council, said: “Following the closure of the former Ogmore Residential Centre in 2007, the building was declared surplus to requirements.  We have appointed Savills to market the property in order to maximise the capital receipt so that the funds can be circulated for the benefit of Bridgend County Borough.  The planning consent will enable the provision of private and affordable housing, and the developer will make contributions towards community facilities, highway improvements and the provision of public open space.  The proposals will also boost the local economy and support new jobs in the construction industry.”