Following the announcement that £1.5 million is being invested by the Welsh Government in revitalising town centres across mid Wales, Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy, has been holding the Minister for Housing and Local Government to account for the lack of regeneration investment in Aberconwy.
Janet said:
“I welcome the fact that money is being made available to help regenerate town centres as this can help in brining vacant commercial, residential and retail space back into use.
“I am however very disappointed that the money being targeted at regeneration in Conwy County is focused on Colwyn Bay.
“Indeed, the town saw a £1.4 million investment last year.
“Clearly, communities in Aberconwy are missing out, which is highly unfair when considering the increasingly difficult time highstreets across the constituency, from Llanrwst to Llanfairfechan are experiencing.
“Going forward, I think the time has come for all levels of government to look at investing more in communities in Aberconwy rather than keep on spending in Colwyn Bay”.
ENDS
Written Assembly Question:
Janet:
Will the Minister consider establishing a town centre property investment fund for communities in Aberconwy, and if so, state by when a decision will be made?
Response by Julie James AM, Minister for Housing and Local Government:
Current regeneration investment in North Wales has been agreed and allocated across the region with Conwy concentrating their investment funding on Colwyn Bay. They are also in receipt of Town Centre Loan Funding which can be used by up to three towns across the county to bring empty and under-utilised buildings back into use. Conwy currently are only operating in one. This funding can be recycled over a fifteen year period.
Future priorities are currently being reviewed for Town centres across Wales.
There is no time frame attached to this work.
Notes:
£1.4m investment in Colwyn Bay town centre
