Port Talbot-based CJ Construction (Wales) is set to deliver its first commercial property development, marking a significant milestone in the company’s growth two years after a management buyout.
Speculative industrial development at Mardon Park
Located within the Port Talbot Waterfront Enterprise Zone, the development at Mardon Park will transform 1.37 acres of brownfield land into 20,000 sq ft of speculative industrial space. The site could be occupied by a single business or subdivided into smaller units.
The development is being backed with a £2.35m investment from the Development Bank of Wales. The funding package includes a £1.37 million grant and a loan of £980,000 from the Wales Commercial Property Fund.
Company background and management buyout
Founded by Chris Jones in 1988, and incorporated in 2000, CJ Construction has grown from a family business into an established contractor employing 32 people and generating an annual turnover of almost £5m. The company has built a reputation delivering commercial and residential projects across South Wales, particularly for housing associations.
In July 2024, Chris’s son Russell Jones and fellow director Alex Holland self-funded the management buyout, with founder Chris remaining with the business in an advisory role. The Baglan project represents the company’s first direct commercial development, building on more than two decades’ experience as principal contractor on residential and commercial schemes.
Directors comment on the development
Alex Holland, commercial director at CJ Construction, said: “Completing the management buy-out gave us the opportunity to shape the future of the business, and this development is a major step forward in that journey. We’ve spent many years delivering projects for clients across South Wales, so taking on our first development of our own feels like a natural progression. It’s something we’ve wanted to do for some time and the support from the Development Bank of Wales has given us the confidence to make that move.”
Holland added: “We’re proud to be investing in Port Talbot. Wherever possible we’ll continue working with local subcontractors and suppliers throughout the build, ensuring the investment benefits the wider local economy as well as creating high-quality commercial space for businesses looking to locate or expand here.”
Russell Jones, contracts director at CJ Construction, added: “We’ve built the business steadily over many years and have always taken a long-term approach. This development forms an important part of our future growth strategy and is something we’d like to build on in the years ahead.”
Jones continued: “There is clear demand for flexible, modern commercial space in this part of South Wales. Our aim is to create units that are suitable for a range of businesses while contributing to the continued regeneration of the Port Talbot Waterfront Enterprise Zone.”
Wales Commercial Property Fund impact
Since the start of the year the Development Bank of Wales has invested almost £8m in developments across Wales through the Wales Commercial Property Fund, supporting the delivery of nearly 143,000 sq ft of new industrial space.
Alwyn Thomas, senior property development executive at the Development Bank of Wales, said: “CJ Construction has established an excellent reputation as a contractor over the past 25 years, and this investment represents an exciting next step in the company’s development. Supporting experienced Welsh developers as they diversify and grow is exactly what the Wales Commercial Property Fund is designed to do. This project will bring forward high-quality speculative commercial space on a strategically important employment site while supporting regeneration, investment and future business growth in Port Talbot.”
The Wales Commercial Property Fund offers loans from £250,000 to £5 million for speculative and non-speculative office and industrial developments in Wales with terms of up to five years. Since 2017, the development bank has invested £34m in commercial property projects resulting in more than 411,000 sq. ft of space.
