THE OWNERS of the now defunct Festival Park have confirmed their plans to convert the site into a “mixed use business centre”.

Mercia Real Estate Ltd, a property developer based in Birmingham who bought the shopping centre in Ebbw Vale last year, will submit the plans to Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council after a public consultation period ends on June 16.

The once bustling site now resembles something of a ghost town and has faced an uncertain future since the last remaining store closed in 2021.

According to the planning application, Mercia Real Estate, are proposing a “change of use of the former shopping mall into a mixed use business centre comprising of Use Classes A, B and D.

“This includes remodelling of the existing buildings (and some demolition) together with changes to the internal paths and yards and other associated works.”

The focus will be on providing space for a mixture of businesses, trades and warehouse operators, with the proposals allowing “a full range of employment generating activities to be considered.”

As part of the demolition plans, Festival Park’s iconic canopy would be removed as well as at least five units in the shopping centre.

It’s not yet clear from the plans if and how the popular Owl sanctuary – which has remained open since Festival Park’s closure – will be affected.

Pat Webber, an employee of the Owl Sanctuary, had previously told the Argus that they wanted more clarity on what might happen to Festival Park.

“The park has great potential, but visitors right now are disappointed as there are no toilet or food facilities available. We have to cancel school trips as the first thing children want to do when they get off the coach is go to the toilet,” she said.

"We still get a good number of visitors who come here from all over Wales to see the birds in sanctuary, so for all of us we will just be happy to know what's going on. There's been lots of speculation over the last year or so about what will happen, and it will be nice to have some clarity.

"We don't have any more information than that at the moment so it's just a case of keeping our fingers crossed and waiting to see now."

Comments on the plans can be sent to planningconsulation@savills.com.

Plans can be viewed here: https://sites.savills.com/festivalparkebbwvale/en/page_164748.php.