Town centre facelift includes new canopies

ADREF is an exciting new project funded jointly between Carmarthenshire County Council, the European Regional Development Fund and TMF through the Welsh Government.

(NB ADREF, the name for the project, is a play on the Welsh words for urban regeneration, Adfywio Tref)

The project will connect and strengthen links between the exciting new developments within Llanelli Town Centre and the sustainable, wider regeneration of the town and its surrounding communities.

A planning application has been submitted for the core £4.5million element of the scheme at Llanelli town centre involving improvements in Vaughan Street and Stepney Street including creating a new central square at the entrance

ADREF aims to create an environment which will encourage inward investment, economic growth and the provision of quality jobs.

The project consists of three elements aimed at improving the town centre:

Environmental Enhancements;

• To improve the public realm in and around the town centre including new canopies and furnishings.
• Upgrade key gateways into the town centre.
• Improve pedestrian/cycle linkages between the town centre and surrounding communities
• Project ‘showcase’ which will promote the vision and provide information about the regeneration in Llanelli.

There’s financial assistance for local commercial enterprises to create commercial floor space and improve the facades of commercial properties. Up to £15,000 will be available to businesses about the town centre to enable them to improve their frontages to keep in step with the major overhaul that is taking place. For more information contact: Simon Rees 01554-742173 or SCRees@carmarthenshire.gov.uk.

It is also intended to provide a centre for economic inclusion to improve the social and economic wellbeing of residents in surrounding communities.

ADREF is one of five major projects costing a total of £60million that is being delivered across Llanelli in the next 12 months.

They include East Gate, Llanelly House, Llanelli Library and Y Fwrness. A public exhibition called the hub is opening in the next month that will have full graphic displays regeneration of the town centre.

County executive board member for regeneration Cllr Clive Scourfield said: “These are exciting times in Llanelli with so much happening and coming together at once.

“There is a vibrancy about business and leisure opportunities that are presenting themselves which is hugely encouraging for the future of the town.”