Carmarthenshire County Council has confirmed that the planned demolition of the former Wilko building will enable the site to be brought back into use and support the wider regeneration of the town centre.
The council remains in commercial discussions with interested parties about the future use of the site, including negotiations with a prospective tenant. No formal agreement has yet been reached, and further information will be shared with the public when the council is in a position to do so.
Although the prior notice for demolition included a proposed date of 26 October 2026, the wider programme has since changed and demolition is now expected to begin early next year.
The demolition works will be fully funded by Welsh Government through its Transforming Towns Programme. Cabinet has approved the inclusion of this funding allocation within the council’s capital programme, enabling the work to proceed at no cost to the council.
Condition surveys of the building when it was purchased found that significant investment would be required to bring the building up to current standards before it could be re-let to a future tenant. Essential maintenance to the roof alone is estimated to cost in the region of £1 million. The council’s assessment concluded that undertaking these works would not represent value for money and that demolition is the most cost-effective option, as the building has reached the end of its usable life.
Redeveloping the site also provides an opportunity to improve the existing car park, which no longer meets modern standards.
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, Cllr Hazel Evans, said: “We welcome the public interest in the former Wilko site and share the community’s view that its future development must support the wider regeneration of the town.
“With Welsh Government fully funding the demolition, and essential roof works alone estimated at around £1 million, demolition is the most cost-effective way to unlock the site’s potential and prepare it for a productive long-term use.”
Welsh Government’s Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, Siân Gwenllian, said: “This is a welcome step forward for Carmarthen town centre. Clearing this site is about more than demolition. It’s about creating the conditions for productive, long-term use that supports the town’s continued regeneration.
“I’m pleased that Welsh Government funding through the Transforming Towns Programme is enabling Carmarthenshire County Council to progress this work, and I look forward to seeing the site brought back into use in a way that benefits the local community and businesses.”
Following an approach made on behalf of Buzz Parks, the council has also offered to discuss alternative potential opportunities within the town with the company’s owners. Where premises are not owned by the council, it would be willing to help facilitate discussions with the relevant landowners or landlords.
The council’s statement sets out its position in relation to the Friars Park site, and it will provide an update as and when developments with interested parties progresses.
