Llanelli Town Centre Taskforce agrees key priorities

Four priority themes and actions have been set by the Llanelli Town Centre Taskforce.

Led by Cllr Emlyn Dole, Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, the group has agreed the main issues that need to be addressed in efforts to regenerate the town and attract more shoppers.

The first priority is to address buildings and premises – bringing key commercial units back into use and reducing the number of derelict premises in the town. A list of property landlords in the town is being compiled in order to open discussions over possible future development opportunities. Grant funding is also being sought to bring the former YMCA building back into economic use.

The Taskforce also wants to improve the commercial offer within the town centre and also the mix of development, including residential, to increase footfall, job opportunities and productivity.

Environment and access is the second priority – keeping the town centre in a good condition, making a pleasant place to visit and creating easy access for everyone.

A long-term strategy will be developed to improve the town’s appearance and anti-social behaviour will be tackled. Parking and public transport will also be looked at to address accessibility, and pedestrian counters have been installed to monitor footfall.

The third priority is to support the town centre through marketing, promotions and events – presenting the town centre in a positive light with incentives to draw more people in and improve productivity and spend.

An annual schedule of events will be formed and people will be encouraged to visit and spend with a possible town centre loyalty scheme.

People, training and business support is the final priority – providing support for existing businesses and new businesses trying to start up, and creating new opportunities for training and volunteering.

Actions include introducing Street Buddies, helping businesses to access networking, training and grants, and reducing business costs with collective purchasing.

The Taskforce aims to stimulate growth and investment by supporting traders, boosting business and increasing footfall, and includes senior representatives from the County Council; Llanelli Town Council; Llanelli Rural Council; Chamber of Trade; the Business Improvement District group;

St Elli Centre; Llanelly House and Eastgate management.

Cllr Dole said: “This is the first step in our journey to making Llanelli Town Centre great again. We have a strong team who are committed to working together to address the key priorities that have been identified through our initial scoping exercises. Now is the time to put ideas into action, and I look forward to seeing improvements being made that will improve the town centre for both visitors and businesses.”