Town centre projects in £111m grants for Wales

Town centre projects in £111m grants for Wales

Seven projects in Wales have been awarded grants worth £111m in the latest round of UK government Levelling Up funding.

Regeneration projects in Port Talbot, Llanelli and Rhyl town centres are among the projects to benefit.

It is the third round of funding from the scheme aimed to support economic growth.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said the schemes will have a “positive impact for generations to come”.

The Conservative UK government launched the Levelling Up fund under the previous prime minster Boris Johnson, inviting local authorities to make bids.

It announced that £15m has been awarded to regenerate Port Talbot town centre, with improvements to Civic Square, the refurbishment of the Princess Royal Theatre, and improvements to green space at Riverside.

A total of £12m has been allocated to restore and reopen the grade II listed Newbridge bridge in the town, and to upgrade Newbridge Road and Riverside Road.

Rhyl town centre regeneration is part of the plan for £20m for projects in Denbighshire, which includes more community centres, cycle and footpaths, and improving routes between the town and coast.

More than £15m will be awarded for renovating derelict buildings and creating more green areas in Llanelli, while £20m is going to a scheme to develop a site in the Barry Dock waterfront for a new business centre, food and drink outlets and recreation and marina facilities.

A total of £18m will be offered to Powys on restoring footbridges and improving the National Cycle Network.

Meanwhile £10m will be used for improvements in Pembroke town.

The projects had previously applied for round two of funding but had not been successful.

Mr Davies said: “This is another hugely significant investment in transformative projects across Wales. From town centre regeneration to improving travel infrastructure, these schemes will have a positive impact for generations to come.”