EditorCWMBWRLA: Plans in for 12 flats above the CK Foodstores supermarket near Cwmbwrla Roundabout
Thirty-two new flats could be built above the CK Foodstores supermarket on Pentregethin Road in Cwmbwrla — on a street that has become one of Swansea’s most troubled corners in recent years, as repeated flooding from a nearby sinkhole brought the roundabout to a standstill time and again.
Plans filed with Swansea Council under application reference 2026/0523/PRE propose converting the currently empty upper floors of the store — a prominent building near Cwmbwrla Roundabout, opposite Swansea Ambulance Station — into a mix of one and two-bedroom self-contained apartments. The ground floor shop, Post Office and car park would all stay as they are.
The store’s upper floors have sat largely unused for years, their original purpose as warehouse space long since redundant. The plans, drawn up by Prime Architecture on behalf of CK Stores Ltd, say the building is well placed for housing given its location right in the heart of Cwmbwrla, with bus stops within 50 yards and a rail link nearby.
Each of the 32 flats would have its own front door and staircase from street level. The architects say a lift could also be included, and that every flat would meet disabled access standards. The building’s exterior would be updated with new facing brickwork, zinc cladding and aluminium windows and doors.
The area badly needs the housing. Census figures show 34% of households in the immediate area are in social housing — nearly double the national average of 17.5%.
Parking for the new residents is planned to be shared with the supermarket, using the existing car park on the opposite side of Pentregethin Road.
Behind the planning application is CK Stores Ltd, whose managing director is Christopher Kiley — one of Swansea’s most colourful business figures. Kiley founded the chain in 1988 after acquiring a small store in Llandeilo, and has since built it into a network of more than 30 supermarkets across South and West Wales, turning over around £68m a year.
But Kiley is rarely far from controversy. CK Foodstores was fined £36,000 last year for serious allergen labelling breaches at its Narberth store. Before that, an ITV Wales and S4C investigation found nearly half of the chain’s stores were selling meat and fresh produce past their use-by date — in one case by 13 days. Kiley’s company agreed to be interviewed three times, then pulled out each time. Beyond the supermarkets, he made national headlines in 2015 after flying his helicopter into Heathrow’s airspace and bringing the airport to a halt, and has clashed with Swansea Council over works at his Caswell Bay estate on the Gower, including the felling of protected trees without permission.
The Pentregethin Road store sits right at the heart of what has been a deeply troubled patch. Just a street away, the old Cwmfelin Social Club — demolished after spending two years perched on the edge of a giant sinkhole — repeatedly caused Cwmbwrla Roundabout to flood and close, submerging cars, with engineers uncovering a hidden Victorian tramway channel beneath the site. The saga is not over yet — one lane on the roundabout and the busy Carmarthen Road remain closed to accommodate pumping equipment to prevent the flooding from returning.
The Post Office relocated to the CK Foodstores site in 2021 following the closure of nearby Manselton Post Office and would continue operating from the ground floor under the proposals.
The plans also include bird and bat boxes on the building and secure cycle storage for residents.
The application is now being considered by Swansea Council. Anyone wishing to view the documents or comment can search for reference 2026/0523/PRE on the council’s planning portal at swansea.gov.uk/planningsearch.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Supermarket chain fined £36,000 for unsafe food labelling breaches
CK Foodstores convicted after allergen labelling failures found at its Narberth store.
Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins after two years on edge of giant sinkhole
The end of a long saga for a building that brought Cwmbwrla to a standstill.
Cwmbwrla roundabout closed again as floodwaters rise under amber weather warning
One of many closures that plagued the area as the sinkhole saga dragged on.
TOWNHILL: Social housing developer plans 27 affordable homes on derelict nursery site
Plans for new affordable housing on a derelict site just over a mile away in Townhill.
Editors Note
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that 32 flats were being proposed. The figure is in fact 12 flats. The article has been updated to reflect this.
