The Welsh Government's Transforming Towns Placemaking
Grant has been extended for a further two years with a
substantial £26m of funding being made available to support town
centres across Wales.
The Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant was introduced in March
2021 to consolidate various smaller regeneration grants into a
single, streamlined capital grant programme.
It supports a wide range of interventions such as commercial
property improvements, more town centre living and better-quality
public spaces. It will also support more greening of our town
centres with new recreational facilities like small parks and
play areas.
The maximum grant allowance has also been increased from £250,000
to £300,000 per application, providing greater support for
individual Placemaking projects.
Projects can be delivered by local authorities themselves, or by
third parties such as town councils, Business Improvement
Districts, third and private sector organisations and
individuals. Applications are prioritised and processed by local
authorities.
The previous round of grant funding helped transform vacant
properties across Wales, including the former Woolpack in
Glynneath which now houses a doughnut coffee shop with four
one-bed flats above following extensive renovation.
The former Canterbury Arms in Neath also underwent a
comprehensive refurbishment to create three commercial units on
the ground floor with four residential flats above.
Meanwhile, Cyngor Gwynedd utilised the grant funding to improve
Bangor City Centre by installing new fingerposts and information
boards on local landmarks, guiding residents and visitors and
encouraging them to explore the unique offerings of Bangor.
Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, , praised the success of the
programme in her speech to the All-Wales Regeneration Conference
in February: “By investing in our towns and city centres, we are
not only enhancing the physical environment but also fostering
economic growth and improving the quality of life for
residents.
“Bringing empty properties back into active use and breathing new
life into our town and city centres are key pillars of our
regeneration strategy here in Wales.
“The continuation of the grant programme, with increased funding
and grant allowances, makes funding for regeneration projects
more accessible, enabling us to build on the successes we have
already achieved.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
The former Woolpack in Glynneath received £97,903.08 in
Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant funding towards its
refurbishment works.
The former Canterbury Arms in Neath received £127,914.247 in
Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant funding towards its
refurbishment works.
Cyngor Gwynedd developed the Bangor Signage Strategy which has a
focus on navigational infrastructure for the city centre. They
received £111,000 in Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant funding
to support the installation of new fingerposts and information
boards around the city.
