Minister approves major regeneration plans for town centres across Wales

Communities and Tackling Poverty Minister, Lesley Griffiths, has today set out how £5 million of Welsh Government funding will be used to boost town centres across Wales.

The capital funding will be loaned to seven local authorities for up to 15 years to be spent on town centres in Tredegar, Rhymney, Grangetown, Llanelli, Rhyl, Caernarfon and Barry. During this time, the council can recycle and re-invest the funding in different projects which will improve their town centres and bring empty buildings back into use.

Such improvements will help create jobs and encourage economic growth, increase the number of homes available within town centres and make them a more diverse, vibrant and attractive place to visit.

The Minister visited Rhyl town centre today to see first-hand how the funding will help transform the town. Lesley Griffiths said:

“Town centres play a vital role in community life and this loan funding will help bring about improvements in the areas which need it the most.

“I look forward to seeing how this £5 million will improve town centres across Wales over the next fifteen years. By making our town centres more attractive and accessible, we hope to increase visitor numbers and give local businesses and communities a boost.”

The seven local authorities supported by the Town Centre Loan scheme are part of the Welsh Government’s Tackling Poverty Fund areas and have been identified as areas with a high level of deprivation and in need of support. The funding will support a range of different projects in the seven local authorities across Wales:

• In Tredegar, the council will receive £714,286 to demolish a social club and replace it with much needed social housing.
• Rhymney will receive £500,000 to bring six empty properties back into use and make the former Aldi site more attractive for development.
• Carmarthenshire Council will use its £700,000 to renovate empty properties in Llanelli town centre and bring them back into use
• In Rhyl, the council is using the £842,857 to work with the private sector to redevelop empty buildings on West Parade and build a new car park in the centre of the town
• Gwynedd Council will put their £700,000 towards the ongoing major regeneration project in Caernarfon town centre
• In Barry, the council will receive £842,867 to develop empty and rundown properties into affordable housing and apartments for market rent.

The Town Centre Loan scheme is one of a range of measures the Welsh Government is taking to support Welsh high streets. Earlier this year, the Minister launched the High Street Heroes awards to showcase the vast range of shops and services available on the Welsh high street.

Lesley Griffiths added:

“Our High Street Heroes awards recognise the hard work and dedication of people and businesses up and down the country which are providing high-quality services and boosting their local communities.

“We want to celebrate the achievements of local traders which make an outstanding contribution to their town centres. I encourage everybody to vote for their favourites!”

Voting for the High Street Heroes awards is online via the Support Your High Street Facebook page and entries close on 10 August 2015.

A shortlist of Heroes from across Wales will be reviewed by a panel of judges, who will select the overall High Street Hero winner, with the winners in the business categories decided by popular vote. The winners will be announced during High Street Week, which is taking place 19-26 September 2015.