Burroughs was appointed by Cushman and Wakefield to provide structural and civil engineering designs for the regeneration of Gwent Square, a key element of Cwmbran Town Centre’s placemaking plan to boost footfall by attracting new food, beverage, and leisure operators, supporting a “family-led evening economy” that revitalises the area.

Originally conceived in the 1951 Masterplan as one of Wales’s first pedestrianised town centres, Cwmbran’s Gwent Square holds historical significance and serves as an important community hub.

Department Store Conversion

A major feature of the project was the remodelling of a 1960s department store to accommodate a new gym. Burroughs conducted extensive structural analysis, including a review of original building plans and as-built records, combined with a comprehensive on-site testing regime to fully understand the building’s condition. These tests were carried out while the store remained open, requiring close collaboration with the store management and centre operators. We carefully planned the works to ensure that all testing activities had no impact on the store’s operations or customer experience.

Using the testing results, Burroughs developed a full 3D structural model, pinpointing the exact areas requiring strengthening to support the increased floor loadings needed for gym operations in accordance with Eurocodes. We then provided detailed specifications identifying where carbon reinforcement was required and the performance criteria needed to achieve the necessary increase in strength. This enabled specialist contractors to design detailed proposals, maximising cost efficiency while preserving the integrity of the existing concrete structure.

To support the gym’s conversion, Burroughs undertook a full assessment of the updated building layout, reviewing proposals from fire engineering specialists to ensure that the structural modifications did not adversely impact the fire safety strategy. This included maintaining fire exit arrangements and designing new openings in the floor slabs for improved access and egress.

As part of the structural testing, we also conducted pullout tests on the building’s external walls. These tests not only informed the design of fully sheeted scaffolding required around the entire building during redevelopment, but were also used provide the developer and their architect with data on the load-bearing capacity, ensuring the feasibility of their cladding designs.

Additionally, Burroughs designed minor structural alterations to the canopy wrapping around the department store’s frontage. These alterations included removing cantilevered roof sections and ensuring suitability for the installation of new gym signage. Importantly, the designs maintained fully accessible routes by avoiding the addition of any new columns, maintaining unimpeded pedestrian movement around the building and surrounding square.

Café and Restaurant Transformation

Burroughs also led the design for the conversion of a separate retail unit into a new café and restaurant which required the design and installation of foul and grey water drainage to accommodate new kitchens and accessible customer toilets.

The depth of the existing sewer network meant a fully gravity-fed foul drainage solution was not feasible. To overcome this, Burroughs conducted detailed investigations, including Ground Penetrating Radar surveys, and explored all potential connection points.

Our final solution maximised gravity-fed drainage, with a compact macerator and pump system installed to service the kitchen areas. The macerator was discreetly housed within an undershelf cupboard, pumping waste up to a ceiling void before connecting to the sewer below ground. This approach was carefully designed to be cost-effective, efficient, and minimally intrusive while also meeting the client’s operational needs.

Connections to the existing network required new pipework to be routed through an existing concrete slab. To address potential noise pollution risks for nearby residential properties, Burroughs specified diamond drilling as a quieter alternative to traditional breaking methods. Collaborating with a local contractor, we ensured the works were delivered with minimal disruption.

Structural modifications within the new café included creating a new door opening through a reinforced concrete wall to provide accessible customer toilet access. We undertook surveys including reinforcement scans, and detailed structural calculations to maintain the building’s integrity. Burroughs also specified temporary propping to support the structure above during construction.

Addressing water ingress was another critical aspect of the project. Burroughs’ surveys identified leaks in the main part of the building, which were traced to the roof and gutters of the adjacent theatre. We arranged scaffold access, inspected the roofing and gutter conditions, and produced a full design for necessary repairs. A local contractor was engaged to undertake the work, resolving the issue efficiently.

Public Realm Enhancements

In the main square, Burroughs provided detailed designs for aesthetic and functional improvements, including new paving with enhanced slip resistance and optimised drainage layouts to accommodate changes in levels. The result is a safer, more accessible space that meets modern standards and provides and attractive community space.

Stakeholder Collaboration and Client Satisfaction

Key to the project’s success was our collaboration with the square’s management, new tenants, local contractors, and three architectural teams overseeing the café, gym, and public realm designs. Burroughs took the time to fully understand the specific needs of each tenant, ensuring that our designs were not only suitable for the existing building fabric and town infrastructure but were also optimised for efficiency and cost-effectiveness in construction and operation.

This project demonstrates Burroughs’ commitment to placemaking, helping transform Cwmbran town centre into a vibrant and attractive destination for both residents and visitors. Through effective communication and our focus on practical, buildable solutions, we were able to align our designs with operational, budgetary, and aesthetic goals, providing best value for all stakeholders.