Exciting proposals to redevelop the Rock Grounds in Aberdare have been granted planning consent. This is an important landmark in the multi-million pound project, which is subject to a full funding package being secured.
In October 2024, Cabinet progressed the project by agreeing to the Council approving Final Frontier Space Holdings as the chosen developer to design, develop and operate the facility – which will include a quality hotel, restaurant, bar and spa.
Importantly, it was agreed that the facilities complementing the new hotel will be available for the community’s use – while the development will preserve the historic Rock Grounds building and its features, maintain an appropriate level of public car parking, and retain the Keir Hardie bust and chain link boundary fence. Council staff who were previously based at the Rock Grounds site were relocated last year.
The Planning and Development Committee considered the plans, submitted by Final Frontier Space Holdings, on Thursday, November 27. The full application sought consent to convert and extend the site’s two-storey office buildings, for use as an apart-hotel, along with a restaurant, spa/leisure complex and a car park. Landscaping and drainage works were also included in the application.
A report to Thursday’s meeting noted the project would create 19 high-quality hotel rooms (eight ground floor, eleven first floor) in the main building – ranging from studio apartments to one and two-bed rooms. Each room would be self-contained, and include a kitchen, living area and bathroom. The ground floor would include an entrance, lobby, gym, office, and back-of-house space. The building would be extended by 13-metres southwards to accommodate the hotel.
The site’s second, one-storey building would be converted into a restaurant and café seating area. Its internal layout would be reconfigured to create a spacious dining area, along with a back-of-house kitchen, and toilets. Sheltered outdoor seating for diners is planned to the north of the building. An entrance will be provided on the building’s south side, creating a welcoming entry for guests.
A new, rectangular-shaped spa building is proposed to the south-west of the restaurant building. It would have three storeys, covering around 480 square metres. The ground floor would contain a lobby/reception, wellness facilities, a sauna/steam room, a vitality pool, a hot tub, and changing rooms. An indoor pool with an open ceiling would extend up to the third floor. There are also plans for a farm shop and café with its own dedicated entrance.
The first floor would include a dining facility, with scenic views over Aberdare to the north. There would also be a spacious terrace offering outdoor dining. Elsewhere on this floor, there would be four treatment rooms, toilets, changing rooms and a recovery room. The third floor would be dedicated to five guest hotel bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom and a private terrace.
The external appearance of the restaurant and spa buildings would use a mix of modern materials, creating a contemporary look aligning with the hotel. The existing public car park to the east of the site would be retained, with parking for guests and visitors accommodated within the central courtyard area. The existing site access to A4233 would be retained.
Officers recommended the application for approval, subject to conditions, noting: “The proposal will bring a much-needed new facility to Aberdare town centre, contributing to its viability and vitality. It will provide an amenity that would benefit residents and tourists alike. The proposed construction will also preserve and enhance the character of the Conservation Area within which it is located.” Following consideration, committee members granted consent.
Councillor Mark Norris, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Development and Prosperity, said: “Securing full planning permission for these exciting proposals is an important milestone, which means the developer is one step closer to revitalising the Rock Grounds site in Aberdare and providing a much-needed hotel facility with other high-quality amenities. The Council is working with the developer to secure the project’s funding package, and further progress is subject to achieving this.
“The new hotel would deliver a modern hotel that is intended to attract new visitors to Aberdare and the wider Cynon Valley area – with popular tourist attractions like Zip World Tower, Aberdare Park, Penderyn Distillery and Dare Valley Country Park right on our doorstep, naming just a few. Complementary facilities like the planned new restaurant, bar and spa will be available to the community, increasing the footfall in the town centre. Meanwhile, an appropriate level of public parking at the site, serving the town centre, will be maintained.
“This key regeneration project shows the Aberdare Town Centre Strategy in action, along with the wider RCT Tourism Strategy. Both documents outline opportunities around using existing buildings for high-quality accommodation, retail and restaurants. Derelict sites like the Boot Hotel, Old Town Hall, Black Lion, and most-recently the former Rates Building, have all been brought back into use in recent years – preventing them from falling into further disrepair, while improving the street scene and bringing new amenities for local people.
“I’d like to again thank the community for taking part in the pre-application engagement exercise earlier this year, to help inform the planning submission – which has now been successful. Officers will continue to work closely with the developer Final Frontier, to make further progress behind the scenes – and residents will be informed about the next key milestones in due course.”
