03/28/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

The new new eco-hostel and cafe in Pendine, sitting in-between the Parry Thomas Centre and under-construction Sands of Speed museum (Carmarthenshire Council image and free for use for all BBC wire partners)

Carmarthenshire Council update on projects affected by demise of WRW Construction

WORK on stalled tourism and housing projects worth nearly £14 million will restart as quickly as possible, Carmarthenshire Council has said.
The council-led Pendine Attractor Project, featuring a seafront museum and hostel, and a council housing scheme at the Dylan estate, Llanelli, were being delivered by WRW Construction Ltd.
The company, with headquarters in Llanelli, said early last month that it had ceased trading after coming under “significant financial stress”.
The council said it was sorry to hear the news and that it would support sub-contractors at both sites. Additional costs and delays were, it said, inevitable.
Asked for an update by the Local Democracy Reporter Service, a council spokeswoman said: “Work will be recommencing on both Pendine and Dylan projects as soon as possible.”
She said the authority had considered various options and had decided to appoint new contractors via a South West Wales public sector contracting framework, which includes local and national firms.
The £5.9 million Dylan housing scheme in Llanelli’s Bynea ward will comprise 28 houses and four bungalows. A new children’s play area as part of the scheme has already opened.
The £7.6 million Pendine Attractor Project will comprise a Sands of Speed Museum, replacing the Museum of Speed, plus a 42-bed hostel, play area, car park and area for 10 motorhomes.
Work got under way in 2019, and the aim was to complete the scheme in spring this year.
Alison Moody, of Chad ‘n’ Olly’s Beach Hut, on Pendine seafront, said visitors still came down looking for the old Museum of Speed, which was demolished to make way for the new one.
She said the hostel and museum buildings were up, but wasn’t sure of if they were watertight yet.
“It will be great when the new one (museum) opens,” she said. “It’s a difficult time to build anything.”
She added that she had seen workmen on site over the last couple of days.
WRW Construction’s difficulties were revealed early in July, when the company said it had no viable option except to move into administration.
A company spokesman said at the time: “Despite a significant order book of over £60 million to be delivered within the upcoming 12 months, a supportive lender, fantastic staff and prospects, regrettably, owing to a series of events the last week, including an unfavourable adjudication outcome, the business was put under significant financial stress.”
Grant Thornton UK has been appointed as administrators.

%d bloggers like this: