£12.2m funding for Ebbw Vale town centre
Major funding of £12.2m has been secured to revitalise Ebbw Vale town centre and create an attractive hub for visitors and local people.
The funding approvals from the Welsh European Funding Office and the Welsh Assembly Government will help boost the local economy, safeguard jobs and create employment opportunities in the retail and business sector.
The town centre regeneration scheme is backed by the European Regional Development Fund, Targeted Match Fund and the Heads of the Valleys programme through the Welsh Assembly Government. In addition, over £1m of funding will be provided by Blaenau Gwent Council and private sources.
This regeneration project includes:
• Northern Gateway Public Realm Enhancements which have recently been completed. This scheme along Market Street and James Street includes new paving, lighting, guard rails and a new clock.
• Church Street Regeneration
• Physical Regeneration Grants
• Cross Valley Community Links
• Former Steelworks, Town Centre/Church Street
• Public Realm Enhancements rear of Bethcar Street and improved bus interchange and taxi rank
• Bank Square, Bethcar Street
• Screening of service yard rear of Bethcar Street
Through this regeneration programme, the town will undergo a transformation with improvements to Church Street to include new paving, lighting, CCTV and artworks. Working with partners including United Welsh Housing Association, Promo Cymru, EVAD and Private Sector Investors the commercial/community properties in this area will be improved.
Physical Regeneration Grants are available for the improvement of commercial and community buildings. This scheme will also see improvements to the pedestrian links at Christ Church Hill, Station Road/Steel Works Road and Queen Square Hill/The Rookery.
These links will form important pedestrian gateways to and from The Works and will give local residents access to the new rail link, hospital, learning campus, genealogy centre and the proposed theatre and leisure centre. This will also give residents and people working on the redeveloped site access to a vibrant town centre.
An improved public open space incorporating a landmark art feature at Bank Square is planned. There will also be a new iconic Bus Interchange and Taxi Rank on Bethcar Street, which will help improve access to the town while reducing the dependency on cars.
