#cwmbwrlaroundabout — Public Fediverse posts

CWMBWRLA: Plans in for 12 flats above the CK Foodstores supermarket near Cwmbwrla Roundabout

Thirty-two new flats could be built above the CK Foodstores supermarket on Pentregethin Road in Cwmbwrla — on a street that has become one of Swansea’s most troubled corners in recent years, as repeated flooding from a nearby sinkhole brought the roundabout to a standstill time and again.

Plans filed with Swansea Council under application reference 2026/0523/PRE propose converting the currently empty upper floors of the store — a prominent building near Cwmbwrla Roundabout, opposite Swansea Ambulance Station — into a mix of one and two-bedroom self-contained apartments. The ground floor shop, Post Office and car park would all stay as they are.

The store’s upper floors have sat largely unused for years, their original purpose as warehouse space long since redundant. The plans, drawn up by Prime Architecture on behalf of CK Stores Ltd, say the building is well placed for housing given its location right in the heart of Cwmbwrla, with bus stops within 50 yards and a rail link nearby.

Each of the 32 flats would have its own front door and staircase from street level. The architects say a lift could also be included, and that every flat would meet disabled access standards. The building’s exterior would be updated with new facing brickwork, zinc cladding and aluminium windows and doors.

The area badly needs the housing. Census figures show 34% of households in the immediate area are in social housing — nearly double the national average of 17.5%.

Parking for the new residents is planned to be shared with the supermarket, using the existing car park on the opposite side of Pentregethin Road.

Behind the planning application is CK Stores Ltd, whose managing director is Christopher Kiley — one of Swansea’s most colourful business figures. Kiley founded the chain in 1988 after acquiring a small store in Llandeilo, and has since built it into a network of more than 30 supermarkets across South and West Wales, turning over around £68m a year.

But Kiley is rarely far from controversy. CK Foodstores was fined £36,000 last year for serious allergen labelling breaches at its Narberth store. Before that, an ITV Wales and S4C investigation found nearly half of the chain’s stores were selling meat and fresh produce past their use-by date — in one case by 13 days. Kiley’s company agreed to be interviewed three times, then pulled out each time. Beyond the supermarkets, he made national headlines in 2015 after flying his helicopter into Heathrow’s airspace and bringing the airport to a halt, and has clashed with Swansea Council over works at his Caswell Bay estate on the Gower, including the felling of protected trees without permission.

The Pentregethin Road store sits right at the heart of what has been a deeply troubled patch. Just a street away, the old Cwmfelin Social Club — demolished after spending two years perched on the edge of a giant sinkhole — repeatedly caused Cwmbwrla Roundabout to flood and close, submerging cars, with engineers uncovering a hidden Victorian tramway channel beneath the site. The saga is not over yet — one lane on the roundabout and the busy Carmarthen Road remain closed to accommodate pumping equipment to prevent the flooding from returning.

The Post Office relocated to the CK Foodstores site in 2021 following the closure of nearby Manselton Post Office and would continue operating from the ground floor under the proposals.

The plans also include bird and bat boxes on the building and secure cycle storage for residents.

The application is now being considered by Swansea Council. Anyone wishing to view the documents or comment can search for reference 2026/0523/PRE on the council’s planning portal at swansea.gov.uk/planningsearch.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Supermarket chain fined £36,000 for unsafe food labelling breaches
CK Foodstores convicted after allergen labelling failures found at its Narberth store.

Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins after two years on edge of giant sinkhole
The end of a long saga for a building that brought Cwmbwrla to a standstill.

Cwmbwrla roundabout closed again as floodwaters rise under amber weather warning
One of many closures that plagued the area as the sinkhole saga dragged on.

TOWNHILL: Social housing developer plans 27 affordable homes on derelict nursery site
Plans for new affordable housing on a derelict site just over a mile away in Townhill.

Editors Note
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that 32 flats were being proposed. The figure is in fact 12 flats. The article has been updated to reflect this.

Huge scale of sinkhole that keeps flooding Swansea revealed as diggers tear into site

The club — once a popular community venue — has now been completely demolished, clearing the way for Welsh Water’s contractors to dig down to a collapsed culvert buried around 10 metres beneath the site. The culvert is believed to have damaged a main trunk sewer and sits alongside the remains of a tramline that once served the old Cwmfelin steelworks.

The works mark the third phase of a long-delayed repair operation. The first phase involved filling the initial sinkhole beside the club. The second saw the building itself torn down. The third — now underway — is a full excavation to expose and repair the culvert.

A photo taken by local resident Mark Ludlam shows the scale of the operation, with heavy machinery working on a deep pit surrounded by fencing and pumping equipment.

Despite widespread assumptions on social media, the council is not responsible for the repair work. Responsibility lies with Cwmfelin Social Club’s insurers, and with Welsh Water and their insurers, who are overseeing the excavation and the complex sewer repairs beneath the site.

The sinkhole first opened up in August 2023, causing extensive damage to the club and its car park. Beneath the site lies a collapsed culvert, a sewer, and the remnants of a tramline — all of which have complicated the repair work.

The culvert collapse also damaged the main trunk sewer, forcing Welsh Water to install a temporary system running from the grounds of the former Libanus Chapel, along the pavement of Carmarthen Road, under the railway bridge and eastwards to a new connection point. The temporary pipework and pumping equipment remain in place, which is why one lane of Carmarthen Road between Cwmbwrla roundabout and Gors Avenue is still closed.

The issue has escalated over recent months, with repeated flooding incidents across Cwmbwrla, Manselton and Brynhyfryd. On September 14, the culvert collapse triggered a major flood at Cwmbwrla roundabout, leaving the junction impassable from all directions. It took a week to reopen, and the area has flooded multiple times since — including a November incident that left Reb’s Razors barbershop under two feet of water, destroying equipment and stock.

Cwmfelin sinkhole: Timeline of events

2021
A major water leak occurs on the main road outside Cwmfelin Social Club.

January 2022
A small hole appears in the club’s car park near the toilets, described as the size of a dustbin lid.

August 2023
Large cracks form and the club’s toilets collapse into a developing sinkhole, forcing the venue to close.

September 2023
Severe storms cause major flooding at Cwmbwrla roundabout, with the collapsed culvert blamed for water inundating homes and businesses.

October 2023
A sewer beneath Heol y Gors bursts, linked to the broken culvert and water backing up during heavy rain.

October 2024
Investigations confirm a collapsed culvert 10 metres down, a disused tramline and a damaged sewer, complicating repairs due to the nearby railway line.

July 2025
Plans are finalised to demolish the club to allow access for contractors to repair the culvert and sewer.

September 2025
The club is formally slated for demolition as further flooding prompts renewed action.

October 2025
Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins, two years after the major collapse.

January 2026
Excavation work begins to reach the collapsed culvert beneath the former club.

Residents have suffered too. Nigel and Ian Davies, who had lived in their home for 50 years, were rescued by boat after floodwater surged through their property.

The council has repeatedly stressed that the collapsed culvert — not blocked drains — is the cause of the flooding, and that the responsibility for repairs sits with the club’s insurers and Welsh Water.

Club secretary Mike Kennedy has said he hopes the venue could one day be rebuilt on the land, depending on funding and the outcome of the repairs.

With excavation now progressing, residents are hoping this long-running saga may finally be moving toward a permanent fix — and an end to the disruption that’s hit the area in recent months.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins after two years on edge of giant sinkhole
Contractors moved in to start taking down the building after months of uncertainty.

Council points to Cwmfelin Club sinkhole works after Cwmbwrla flooding
Officials say the collapsed culvert — not blocked drains — is behind the repeated floods.

Councillor warns culvert collapse could leave Cwmbwrla at risk over Christmas
Fears raised over further flooding as repair delays continue.

Cwmbwrla roundabout closed after cars submerged in flood water
Major disruption as councillor links the chaos to the collapsed culvert.

Cwmbwrla flooding: Roundabout reopens but residents face long recovery
Homes and businesses count the cost after another major flood.