Severe weather has significantly hindered the progress of Bouygues’ £96m health hub, delaying the project by three months.
- The health innovation campus, part of the larger Pentre Awel project, was initially set for completion by this summer.
- Hazel Evans, a county councillor, minimised the severity of the delay, citing it as typical for large-scale construction.
- Despite the delay, the project continues to target an early next year handover from Bouygues UK to the county council.
- The Pentre Awel development, divided into four phases, aims to transform 83 acres of former industrial land.
The Pentre Awel health and wellbeing village in Llanelli, South Wales, is experiencing delays due to “unprecedented severe weather,” as reported by Charlotte Banks on September 10, 2024. Originally scheduled for completion this summer, the health innovation campus is the first phase of the project, spearheaded by Carmarthenshire County Council. County councillor Hazel Evans stated that while the delay spans three months, it is a minimal setback for a construction undertaking of this magnitude.
Councillor Evans assured stakeholders that the project remains on course for a handover from Bouygues UK to the county council at the start of the next year. Pentre Awel is a collaborative effort with Hywel Dda University Health Board to rejuvenate 83 acres of land formerly housing two tinplate mills, thereby revitalising the area.
Commenced in March 2023, Bouygues is developing the first zone of this ambitious project—a £96m venture encompassing a £27m leisure centre purposed for healthcare innovation. This facility is equipped with a 25-metre swimming pool, learner pool, hydrotherapy suite, gym, dance and spin studios, sports hall, and play area, providing diverse resources to the local community.
The first zone will accommodate healthcare technology incubation spaces, a centre for clinical delivery and research, and a Swansea University training centre, offering health and care courses. Additionally, it will include a café, meeting areas, and landscaped outdoor public spaces, designed to enhance the community’s experience.
Subsequent phases of the Pentre Awel project plan to introduce a wellness hotel, housing options, and various assisted living and extra-care facilities. Bouygues is collaborating with local firms, including Dyfed Steels and Shufflebottom, for foundation reinforcement and structural steel work.
Moreover, this project is a key component of the Swansea Bay City Deal, which channels public-private investment totalling £1.3bn into the region’s infrastructural developments. The health hub has already secured £40m funding from this initiative, signalling its importance to the area’s economic and social fabric.
Despite adversities, the Bouygues health hub project continues to progress towards its completion, fostering future community benefits.
