**Llanelli’s Ty’r Nant Office Building Considered for Drug Rehabilitation Service Amid Broader Regeneration Goals**
A former council office building near Parc Trostre Retail Park, Llanelli, could soon be transformed into a vital community resource, after Carmarthenshire Council put forward Ty’r Nant as a potential venue for substance misuse treatment. The move comes as local authorities, in partnership with regional agencies, navigate a complex landscape of regeneration, planning, and public health priorities.
Located next to B&Q’s car park and just metres from a prominent KFC outlet, Ty’r Nant has been vacant for some time. While the site was previously eyed for commercial redevelopment—namely a Lidl supermarket alongside a Tim Horton’s coffee shop—local planning officials and later a national planning inspector rejected those retail plans, citing concerns about town centre regeneration and competition with existing outlets. There is a notable mix of shops and eateries in the area already, reinforcing arguments to protect trade in Llanelli’s historic heart.
The current development sees Carmarthenshire Council’s cabinet offering Ty’r Nant to the Dyfed Area Planning Board—a multi-agency body responsible for commissioning substance misuse services across the region. Should the board approve, the property would serve as a new base for the Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Services (DDAS), which currently operates from the first floor of Boots in central Llanelli.
City officials acknowledge that operating out of Vaughan Street in the town centre is less than ideal. As detailed in a recent council report, the desire to revitalise Llanelli’s traditional retail and business core conflicts with situating a drug and alcohol service in such a central location. The Council has ambitions to breathe new life into the heart of Llanelli, and this has played into their search for a more suitable home for the support service.
Previously, plans were advanced for DDAS to relocate to a purpose-built health and well-being centre at Traeth Ffordd, North Dock, as part of a wider health initiative led by Hywel Dda University Health Board. However, the proposal encountered significant local opposition, primarily due to concerns about the inclusion of the DDAS facility. Despite support from planning officials, the scheme was ultimately rejected by the council’s planning committee in 2023.
Following the council’s decision, the Health Board lodged an appeal on behalf of the planning board. However, before this could be heard, the North Dock site was sold to a different organisation, forcing stakeholders back to the drawing board in their search for a base for these crucial services.
Now, attention turns once more to Ty’r Nant. In discussions with the council, the Dyfed Area Planning Board has been made aware that the office’s availability is contingent upon Cabinet approval. Early assessments are underway to determine the building’s suitability, with officials stressing that the process remains at a preliminary stage.
It is worth noting that several sites in and around the Trostre area had initially been ruled out due to their perceived distance from the town centre. Yet, with options narrowing, former considerations are being revisited. The balance between accessibility for service users and the broader economic health of Llanelli remains a point of discussion among decision-makers.
While no concrete decisions have yet been made, the possible repurposing of Ty’r Nant would signal a pragmatic approach by local leaders to address substance misuse while roundly supporting their long-term vision for the town’s regeneration. This ongoing saga reflects the careful negotiation between community needs and economic objectives that many councils across Wales continue to face.
As feasibility assessments progress and community feedback is gathered, the future of Ty’r Nant remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that, whatever its eventual fate, this modest office building has come to embody the wider challenges and hopes of modern Llanelli. Local residents, stakeholders, and policymakers alike will be watching closely as the story unfolds.