A total of £4 million has been allocated towards town centre regeneration projects across Mid Wales over the next two years.

Welsh Government has made the award to Powys County Council, working in partnership with Ceredigion County Council, as part of its Transforming Towns programme.

Funding is available for up to 70 per cent of project costs, up to a maximum of £300,000 per application, for schemes which address priorities outlined in a town’s placemaking or investment plan.

Placemaking Grants in the two counties are awarded by a Mid Wales regional board, but expressions of interest must be submitted to the council where the project is based.

These can be delivered by the county councils themselves, or by third parties such as town councils, partnerships, charities, voluntary organisations and private businesses.

“This investment will help create jobs, boost economic activity and breathe new life into high streets and town centres across Mid Wales,” said Councillor James Gibson-Watt, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys, and Councillor Clive Davies, Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration and Carbon Management, in a joint statement. “The types of projects we are likely to support include developing underused, empty or run down properties into businesses, housing, leisure facilities, commercial premises or community facilities; improving the appearance of properties and/or reshaping them to make them more viable; or improving existing premises by introducing innovative services and connectivity, such as high speed broadband, which will attract businesses.”

Since its launch in 2020, the Transforming Towns programme has awarded more than £314 million in grant and loan funding to support regeneration across Wales.

More information on Transforming Towns Placemaking Grants can be found for Ceredigion here https://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/business/funding-and-grants/transforming-towns-placemaking-grant/