NEW FUNDING WELCOMED FOR LLANELLI TOWN CENTRE

ANOTHER £700,000 is being invested in Llanelli town centre to help renovate more buildings.

The Welsh Government recently announced the cash boost as part of a £5million package to boost town centres across Wales.

It will pay for the refurbishment of buildings to bring them back into economic use, including housing on upper floors and retail or service outlets on the ground floors.

Carmarthenshire County Council applied for the grant as part of its regeneration plans for Llanelli.

Regeneration Executive Board Member Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “We are very pleased to be approved for the loan fund of £700,000 from the Welsh Government which will help us regenerate Llanelli town centre.

“We will be using the money to refurbish properties in the town centre and bring them back into economic use.

“The intention is to renovate the buildings for affordable housing units as well as commercial or service space.

“It will be an extension of the work already underway through our Opportunity Street programme, and aims to provide solutions for local housing need along with attracting new retail interests and generating more footfall in the town centre.”

The Welsh Government scheme involves loaning the capital funding for up to 15 years to be spent on town centres.

The intention is to improve them and bring empty buildings back into use to encourage economic growth, increase the number of homes available within town centres and make them a more diverse, vibrant and attractive place to visit.

Welsh Government Minister Lesley Griffiths, who announced the funding, 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.