Minister speaks about the importance of town centres and announces further regeneration funding
15 Oct 2014 02:40 PM
Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Lesley Griffiths, yesterday spoke about her commitment to supporting Welsh town centres and announced a further £520,000 of regeneration funding for Merthyr Tydfil.
The funding will go towards the completion of five key projects including an extension of the Penderyn Square regeneration scheme, the creation of new office space and car park in the town centre, increased signage and improvements to the traffic system.
The Minister also spoke about how the Welsh Government’s continued investment in town centre regeneration is helping to revitalise high streets and create sustainable and vibrant communities across Wales.
Over £110 million is being invested through the Vibrant and Viable Places programme, which regenerates town centres and high streets by encouraging partnership working between the public, private and third sector. As part of this, £7 million is going to projects which tackle poverty in Wales’ most deprived town centres.
A further £1 million has been allocated to the Town Centre Partnership Fund which will help boost 20 town centres across Wales by funding projects to directly address local needs.
The Welsh Government’s commitment to the regeneration of high streets is also evident in its approach to developing Business Improvement Plans. To date, over £200,000 has gone to nine areas across Wales to develop towns and city centres by bringing together local businesses and communities to find ways of improving the local trading environment.
The Minister said:
"I am delighted to announce a further £520,000 to help regenerate Merthyr Tydfil’s town centre and encourage more local people to visit the businesses and shops available on their doorstep.
"I recognise our towns and high streets are facing a challenging time due to the increasing popularity of online shopping, out-of-town retail parks and people’s changing shopping habits. It is vital our local shops and businesses evolve and adapt to face these challenges head on, while our continued support is key to helping them thrive.
"Last month we ran a campaign reminding people of the value of their high streets and encouraging communities to make full use of all the facilities they offer. During High Street Week, I met with business owners in Blaenavon and saw how they are working to develop, not only their business, but the town itself. I was hugely impressed by the transformation of the town and the passion shown by the local business owners was inspirational."
Speaking in Plenary, the Minister reiterated her commitment to a cross-Government approach to supporting Welsh high streets. She said:
"We will continue to take a whole Government approach to address the challenges facing our towns and city centres. I am continuing to engage with the Economy Minister about business rates support and what we can do bring the empty properties in our towns and cities back into use.
"I am also continuing to work with the Natural Resources Minister with regards to the planning system and I welcome his announcement today of his intention to refresh the planning policy in Wales on retailing and town centres.
"I see our high streets and town centres as a key priority for regeneration and the cornerstone of our communities."
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