**Plans for New Greggs Beside Blackpill Lido Abandoned**
Proposals for a new Greggs bakery outlet at a prominent Swansea seafront location have been revoked, dashing the hopes of some local residents and regular commuters. The scheme, which would have seen the popular food chain established at the Texaco petrol station along Mumbles Road near Blackpill Lido, was officially withdrawn after a series of planning challenges.
Motor Fuel Group, the operator behind the forecourt, had submitted a second, revised planning application to Swansea Council in December 2023. Their amended proposal sought to overcome objections that had previously led to their initial plans being refused. Key issues had included concerns about insufficient parking provision, likely increases in traffic congestion on the busy Mumbles Road, as well as a lack of data regarding the effect on protected species inhabiting the area.
Under the revised design, the planned Greggs would have been constructed at the rear of the existing garage, with its main entrance directed towards Mumbles. Meanwhile, the petrol forecourt and the existing Londis convenience store were set to remain part of the development, along with an enlarged area for the Subway restaurant already on site.
Parking concerns featured heavily in consultation documents. The developers pledged to retain all 11 visitor parking spaces onsite and proposed relocating two staff parking spots so as not to obstruct the station’s refuse compound. A survey conducted in November 2023 suggested that, even at peak times, at least six of the visitor spaces were usually vacant. In response to highway safety worries, the blueprint also included a new “no right turn” exit marked by painted arrows and updated signage. This measure was intended to discourage potentially hazardous turns from Mumbles Road directly into the garage.
Environmental considerations were also addressed, with updated reports on drainage, trees, and protected wildlife being submitted, aiming to reassure planning officers. The developers emphasised the potential for job creation, touting modern service station trends that blend retail, food-to-go, and beverage offerings. Their official statement declared, “Enhanced retail shop merchandising together with food-to-go and beverage facilities is a major trend within a modern service station which must evolve in response to accommodate and meet the changing needs and aspirations of consumers.”
Despite these efforts, Motor Fuel Group provided no official rationale for withdrawing the application. The move ends months of speculation and debate about the site, and no timetable has been offered for potential alternative plans at this central Blackpill spot.
The withdrawal echoes a similar situation from the previous year, where another local fuelling station, situated just a short distance away near the junction with Derwen Fawr Road, was earmarked for redevelopment. That location had once hosted a second petrol station and later became the focus of proposals for a new Lidl supermarket. Despite generating significant community reaction, with 171 objections lodged alongside 56 letters of support, those plans were likewise pulled in 2023.
The latest development will likely polarise opinion in the community. Some hoped the introduction of Greggs would bring greater food choice and jobs to the area, but others worried about extra traffic and environmental strain. For now, the Blackpill Lido site remains unchanged, and the longstanding debate over the best use of this prime section of Swansea’s coastal road is far from over.
As Swansea continues to evolve, the balance between economic development, transport impact, and environmental preservation remains a recurring theme in local planning debates. For Mumbles Road and Blackpill, the story continues – but, for now, a fresh-baked Greggs will not be part of its next chapter.