Another £1million Boost For Llanelli Town Centre

Carmarthenshire County Council will spend another £1million buying more properties in Llanelli Town Centre as part of its regeneration plans. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It has secured a further £800,000 from the Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places fund, and will put in more than £200,000 of its own cash to boost the budget. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council has already bought seven town centre properties in a £1.5million investment as part of its Opportunity Street project which is supported by Welsh Government with aims to tackle poverty by creating jobs, encouraging skills development, improving housing, providing facilities and helping people into work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council is targeting key buildings within the town centre so that it can control their re-development and set affordable rents that will attract new businesses and tenants. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Currently around half of the properties in Llanelli town centre’s main shopping streets, including Stepney Street and Vaughan Street, are privately owned, leaving the council with little control over their use and no control over the level of rent businesses have to pay. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Work is already underway on several of the properties the council has bought in recent months. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

New shop units with high-spec apartments above at number 10 and 12 Stepney Street will be the first to complete, and should be ready by the summer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bringing empty shops back into use and increasing footfall and spend in Llanelli to make it more attractive to businesses is a key priority of the Llanelli Town Centre Taskforce, launched by Leader of the Council, Cllr Emlyn Dole in 2015. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Dole said: “We are delighted to secure more funding to buy more buildings in Llanelli Town Centre and bring them back into use. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are already making great progress, and people are starting to see our commitment to regenerating the town and making Llanelli great again. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are now in negotiation with the owners of several large buildings in the town centre, and hope to announce more good news soon.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​