Llanelli regeneration

The future is bright for Llanelli town centre with around £60million investment planned over the next few years. A huge regeneration programme is underway which aims to transform the look and the fortunes of the town.

Five major projects are being developed which will provide a wide range of arts, entertainment and leisure to the area. They include a new theatre, arts and social enterprise complex; the refurbishment of Llanelly House and Llanelli Library; a new leisure, office and retail development; and town centre environmental improvements.

The theatre complex is a £14.6million project, which aims to create 35 new jobs and provide a boost of £1million a year to the local economy. It has been funded through £5.1million from the European Regional Development Fund and the same amount from the Welsh Assembly Government. Carmarthenshire County Council has provided £4million and Trinity College Carmarthen £300,000.

Due for completion in 2012, the arts centre will comprise a purpose built 520-seat theatre and flexible space for a wide range of community and professional events and activities, social enterprises, education and businesses in the performing arts field, which will be created in two grade II listed former chapel buildings – Zion Chapel and Old School.

Carmarthenshire’s Regeneration and Leisure Scrutiny Committee Chair Cllr Anthony Jones said: “It will transform business confidence and improve the social and economic well-being of adjacent communities. Its importance to the regeneration of Llanelli cannot be overstated. It will provide a new type of job opportunities and career aspirations for all ages and abilities.”

The University of Wales Trinity St David’s will have a base at the centre – called Nexus – where it will focus on creating opportunities for students in the performing arts and creative industries. Nexus is being provided through Trinity working in partnership with Coleg Sir Gar, as a purpose built facility for students. It will provide a theatre, workshops, exhibition area, café, social enterprise incubation and meeting rooms.

A Trinity spokesman said: “The creative and cultural industries are of particular significance to Wales, both in terms of enhancing the economic benefits of its unique cultural identity, and in providing employment opportunities. The development of a purpose built Creative Arts & Media Centre that is currently being taken forward in partnership with Coleg Sir Gar is in response to the growing demand for students with multi-disciplinary creative skills.”

Part of the cultural and leisure theme for the town centre involves Llanelly House and Llanelli Library. The library in Vaughan Street is currently undergoing a £3.5million refurbishment programme, which is likely to take around 18 months to complete.

It includes protecting and preserving the older part of the building – the Grade 2 listed Athenaeum, one of the oldest buildings in the town centre. A reference library, children’s library, an arts/crafts exhibition area, video conferencing/training room, and a substantial atrium area will be housed in the building.

The work is phase three of the refurbishment, and follows extensive repairs in the newer part of the building which has provided a new adult lending library, a CD/DVD lending area and state-of-the-art IT suite with facilities for 27 public access computers. A ‘Return to Learn Centre’, providing a basic skills service, was also incorporated into the adult lending library in 2006.

The Athenaeum, together with the nearby Llanelly House and Parish Church, are the oldest buildings in town.

Llanelly House has recently been awarded capital funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for complete refurbishment. The £6 million restoration project will return the historic building to its former glory, the way it was in the 18th century. The house was substantially rebuilt in 1714 by Thomas Stepney, MP for Carmarthenshire, and was initially the home of landed gentry.

Work is due to start in December on the Grade One listed Georgian town house, and the project is expected to be complete by the end of 2012. Some 30,000-plus visitors are expected to the house, with a similar number expected to visit the planned new cafe/restaurant.

Project director Craig Hatto said: “This building is considered one of the finest Georgian houses in Wales. For us it is the heartbeat of Llanelli. When the steel industry collapsed the heart of the town had been pulled out, and you can see that reflected in the house. This is why we are regenerating it.”

The plans to drive forward the regeneration of Llanelli town centre have recently been given a further boost with a £7.5million grant from the Welsh Assembly Government. The funding supports Carmarthenshire County Council’s £13.5m renewal plans and will enable a number of schemes in and around the town centre to go ahead.

The funding package includes almost £3million from the European Regional Development Fund and £4.5million from the Targeted Match Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government, and will deliver major environmental improvements and support wider regeneration plans for the area. Further funding of £1.9m will come from Carmarthenshire County Council, £0.5m from the Welsh Assembly Government Safe Routes in Communities, £1m from the private sector and £2.7m from Llanelli Coast Joint Venture. Welsh Assembly Government Business and Budget Minister Jane Hutt AM said: “This investment will create a better environment and more opportunities which will increase prosperity for those within the town and beyond.”

As part of the scheme some £3million will go on improvements to the canopies and streetscene in the town centre. Funding of £1.5million will be available to businesses in, and on the fringes of, the town centre to improve the appearance of their commercial properties, including shop fronts and new signage.

Coleshill Social Centre will have a £2million refurbishment to create a Centre for Economic Inclusion that will provide a range of support services for people who are economically inactive to improve their social and economic prospects. These will include a one-stop-shop for information and advice, social support/networking, training and skills, business support and know how for small and medium enterprises and health improvement activities.

Pedestrian/cycleway links to the town centre through Safe Routes in Communities, will be developed, from
the Dafen and Felinfoel areas, from the coast and North Dock, and from Trostre, are also being developed.

Work should also start on site early next year for the multi-million-pound Eastern Gateway development. The final scheme is due to go before full council for approval for the development to start. It will take between 18 months and two years to complete construction.

Carmarthenshire County Council is working with Henry Davidson developers to deliver the scheme. National cinema chain Reel has signed an agreement to operate a six-screen multiplex facility in the development, and Travel Lodge plans to open a 53-bed hotel.

Along with the hotel and multiplex cinema, the development will provide leisure, entertainment, retail, catering, office accommodation, and a range of other facilities. A new car park with about 250 spaces and an improved bus station are also part of the package. At least 100 new jobs will be created through the scheme, not including numerous others during the construction phase.

The total investment in the town centre will be an estimated £60million over the next few years. The aim is to complete all the work in 2014.  A one-stop-shop will be developed in Llanelli town centre where residents, businesses and organisations will be able to access information and updates on all the various projects, and find out how they can get involved in shaping the proposals.

Carmarthenshire County Council Leader Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “There has been a lot of investment in Llanelli already, and this further funding will allow us to progress with even more regeneration, which is so important to the town centre. The aim is to attract inward investment, give the town centre a boost and give more people the confidence to set up new businesses. When all these projects are completed, people will see huge changes in the town, these are very exciting times and I look forward to seeing Llanelli’s bright future ahead.”