Works starts on Trago Mills' Merthyr Tydfil shops plan

Work is starting on a long-awaited £40m retail and leisure complex in Merthyr Tydfil, set to create 400 jobs.

Trago Mills, which runs three stores in Cornwall and Devon, was granted planning permission in 1999 but work was stalled by several issues including access and land reclamation.

Now, work officially gets under way next to Cyfarthfa Retail Park on Friday.

The development is due to be completed by spring 2018.

It will include a new store, cafe and garden centre, as well as warehouse, offices and parking.

The development site is next to Cyfarthfa Retail Park

There are also plans to develop the site further with a petrol station and leisure facilities.

The company was founded in the 1960s by Mike Robertson, father of current chairman, Bruce Robertson.

He said: "Whilst rather later than anticipated, having first acquired the former Butterley Brickworks site in the mid-90s, we're delighted to be starting work on the Merthyr store.

"Once completed, our new store will be a bold and complementary addition to the thriving retail environment already existing at Cyfarthfa."

Diggers have moved on to the site