Fifteen proposals put forward for future of Burry Port

Fifteen ideas to make Burry Port more interesting will be prioritised after Carmarthenshire Council chiefs approved an over-arching plan for the town centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The aim is to reinvigorate the commercial heart of Burry Port and create better facilities for visitors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The 15 proposals are separate to long-established plans to regenerate the harbour and harbourside area, but Cllr Gareth John, cabinet member for regeneration, leisure, culture and tourism, said not taking them forward would hinder the wider planned investment.
Business and community groups had a big say in the new plan for the town centre, and a group will now be set up to prioritise the proposals, which include: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

– Improvements to Station Road and Stepney Road to support existing businesses and encourage new ones
– Railway bridge and cycling infrastructure improvements, and a more welcoming road approach to the town from Ashburnham Road
– Potential new homes on a vacant plot off Gors Road
– More use of fields south of the railway station for community events
– New space for businesses and community enterprises when the Co-op food store moves from Station Road to Seaview Terrace. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr John said £100,000 of funding had been allocated to the town centre plan and that more would be needed to turn the 15 ideas into reality. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Welcoming the plan, council leader Darren Price said: “Burry Port is very important in the county. There is so much potential in the area.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report before cabinet said Burry Port’s population was older and had lower incomes than the Carmarthenshire average. At the time the report was written, only eight of the town centre’s 81 units were empty.
“Discussions with stakeholders have identified a need for more high-quality dining, coffee and retail establishments to capture extra spend from visitors, particularly those attracted to the harbour as its commercial/leisure offer grows,” it said.
The separate harbourside regeneration plans envisage 300 new homes, plus hotel, leisure and retail space.
The council leases the 450-berth harbour to a company called Burry Port Marina Ltd which has recently gone into administration. Its director told the Local Democracy Reporting Service last month that this move was to protect the business while it completed a capital refinancing process.
The council is liaising with administrators and wants to ensure a safe, fully-functioning and attractive harbour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​