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Plans have been filed to bring a prominent town centre building back into use, but it may not be forever

Thursday, 8 October 2026 11:22

By Kieran Molloy, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans have been filed to bring a prominent town centre building back into use, but it may not be forever.

In 2023 a well-known Wilko store in Holton Road in Barry closed and, despite a strong marketing effort, remained unoccupied for more than a year.

In July 2025 Vale of Glamorgan Council’s cabinet approved the use of a £1m Welsh Government loan to buy the building, with the council gaining ownership in January 2026.

Now, plans have been put in place to bring the unit back into active use.

The council has put plans in place to use the vacant store as an “events space” for a year.

Planning documents read: “The Vale of Glamorgan Council purchased the unit formally in January 2026 to support the regeneration and long-term vitality of the town centre. The re-use would bring a key vacant frontage back into active use, strengthening economic activity, community engagement, and local pride in place. 

“The unit is located within the Barry town centre and as such the current vacant use does little to support the viability and vitality of the town centre.”

Previous council papers raised a range of potential uses for the vacant lot including pop-up events, workshops, engagement activities, and evening events.

The current application is only for an interim use of the building while plans for a permanent future use are “developed further”.

This temporary use is said to “help bring an active frontage to this entire block to contribute to the footfall to Barry town centre and the wider economy”.

A marketing report attached to the application confirms that before the council took over the property there was little interest by private businesses to take it over.

It reads: “During this period, demand from occupiers for a unit of this size and nature remained very limited.

“Given the increasing occupational costs faced by retailers, including rising employment and energy costs, together with broader economic challenges, it is unlikely that the property would have secured a tenant on viable commercial terms had it remained available to let.”

 Cllr Ian Johnson, a councillor for the centre of Barry and leader of the Plaid Cymru group, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I’m pleased that there is further progress in bringing Wilko’s back to life, with the ultimate aim of increasing footfall in this part of Holton Road by turning the site into an indoor market.

“It’s nearly a year since the Vale Council made their initial announcement about purchasing the shop, and a lot of work has gone into the project, including a number of recent pop-up events.

“It’s always frustrating when a large private sector landlord leaves such a large empty in the middle of a shopping centre, so the Vale council has done the right thing in using Welsh Government funding to invest in Barry town centre.

“I think we’re all looking forward to the day when we have a fully-fledged flagship indoor market in the middle of Barry, and I hope the council will now be able to move quickly on this.”

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