Aberthaw takes another step forward
The long-term transformation of the Aberthaw site has taken a major step forward, with CCR Energy Ltd appointing Lichfields and Rio Architects to lead the masterplanning and outline planning application for the landmark regeneration project.
The commission will establish the planning framework for development at Aberthaw, setting out how the coastal site can be brought back into productive use as a catalyst for clean growth and innovation.
For CCR Energy, the appointment represents the next practical step in moving Aberthaw from vision to delivery. The wider site, covering almost 500 acres in the Vale of Glamorgan, has been identified as a major opportunity to create a cleaner economic asset for Southeast Wales, with ambitions spanning renewable energy, battery storage, zero-carbon manufacturing, innovation and biodiversity.
CCR Energy’s Project Delivery Director, Phil Nightingale, welcomes the appointment, commenting, “The appointment of Lichfields and Rio Architects is an important milestone for the Aberthaw project and a significant step towards turning our long-term vision into reality. Their combined expertise will help us create a robust framework for sustainable development, unlocking new opportunities for investment, innovation and clean growth, while ensuring Aberthaw plays a leading role in the transition to a low-carbon economy.”
A site with regional significance
Aberthaw Power Station was one of Wales’s most recognisable industrial landmarks, generating electricity for more than half a century before its closure. Its future is now being reframed around the transition to a low-carbon economy and new investment.
The next phase will focus on the initial development area, including the preparation of a robust masterplan and outline planning application for submission to the Vale of Glamorgan Council.
Owain Nedin, Planning Director for Lichfields, said “Lichfields is delighted to be working with CCR Energy ltd and Rio Architects, leading the preparation of an outline planning application that will support new investment and lay the foundations for long term regeneration at Aberthaw, shaping a new future for this regionally significant site”
Planning for a clean-growth future
Lichfields will bring specialist planning expertise to the commission, while Rio Architects will support the design and masterplanning work needed to turn the project’s ambitions into a clear spatial framework. Together, the team will help define how new uses, infrastructure, landscape, ecology and development plots could be arranged across the first phase.
The outline planning application will be a key milestone, helping establish the principle of development and creating a framework for future detailed proposals, investor discussions and stakeholder engagement.