THE potential purchase of the Riverside Shopping Centre by Pembrokeshire County Council is among a series of major redevelopment projects set to take a step forward.

Consultants are due to be appointed on projects for multi-million pound developments in Pembroke and Haverfordwest town centres.

Cabinet member for economy, tourism, leisure and culture, Cllr Paul Miller, is set to approve the next steps of the redevelopment of the former Ocky White store, and river corridor,  to the head of infrastructure.

Also in the decisions is the creation of a plan for the Riverside Shopping Centre, plus the development of the South Quay site in Pembroke.

The Ocky White building was bought last summer by the council and a £2.3million grant was accepted from Welsh Government for redevelopment - half a million of which is earmarked for this next stage.

A cabinet member decision report states that there will be £88,000 allocated for a project lead/manager, £190,000 for an architect, structural engineer costs of £74,000 and the same for a cost consultant and building services engineering.

A similar decision is due on the development of a plan for the Riverside Shopping Centre with costs predicted to include £21,000 for a project lead/manager, £45,000 for an architect, £18,000 for a structural engineer, £18,000 for cost consultant and £18,000 building services engineering.

It follows a study considering the purchase of the area by the council, with a draft report and business case currently being developed for presentation to Welsh Government.

In Pembroke there has been no interest from developers following a marketing engagement exercise focusing on the redevelopment of South Quay.

However, plans continue and a project manager was appointed in January.

Cllr Miller is asked to approve delegating the appointment of consultants on the project to the head of infrastructure, including the proposal to assemble a design team to progress the scheme and “expending the capital and grant funding allocated to the scheme.”

Reference to funding and its source is classed as exempt information according to the published report.

An architect is to be appointed following open tender with other costs estimated to total £310,000, including £88,000 for project lead/manager, £74,000 structural engineer, £74,000 cost consultant and £74,000 building services engineering