Town Centre Regeneration

As well as new property developments and refurbishments, Merthyr Tydfil town centre currently has various schemes in place to keep the town centre up-to-date with projects involving infrastructure, facilities, transport and access.

As a result of Objective One Funding, investment from the Welsh Assembly Government, Heads of the Valley Initiative and private sector investment, a wide range of physical regeneration projects that have been recently completed or are currently underway.

Below are a selection of projects currently being undertaken.

Merthyr Tydfil win £1.6m Heritage Lottery regeneration boost

Merthyr Tydfil Town Centre is to receive a much-needed boost of £2.5m, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) announced today (14 May, 2010). The money has been earmarked for Pontmorlais and will help fund vital regeneration schemes.

 This investment is part of the HLF’s Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) which has invested over £22 million in Wales since it was established in1998. The aim is to channel vital lottery funds into the built heritage of communities which have suffered serious social and economic decline.  As well as making a huge impact on the physical environment, local people will benefit from opportunities to learn about the heritage which the buildings represent and to gain new skills based on their restoration.

 Jennifer Stewart, Head of HLF in Wales, said:
“The Heritage Lottery Fund is proud to be playing a key role in helping to revitalise these once thriving Welsh towns. The benefits are far reaching. This money will help support local authorities and residents to transform their towns, making essential improvements and repairs that will encourage local businesses and visitors back into these once vibrant areas.”

Pontmorlais, Merthyr Tydfil
Pontmorlais, lying within Merthyr Tydfil's town centre has a rich built heritage which bears testimony to the town's past industrial wealth. Today Merthyr suffers from some of the highest rates of social and economic deprivation in Wales. HLF has awarded a first round pass of £1,637,500 including £50,000 of development funding to Merthyr County Borough Council to help progress the scheme.

 The High Street area created between 1770 and 1820 has many grand historical buildings which reflect the town’s past prosperity such as the old Town Hall and the now disused YMCA building. This investment from HLF will go towards reversing the decline of these buildings and finding new uses for them which will benefit local people, with the aim of attracting new investors and visitors.

One of the buildings within the conservation area is Soar Chapel which was awarded a grant of £527,000 in 2009 to adapt the Grade II listed building into a venue for performing arts and community activities. Lis McLean, Canolfan a Menter Gymraeg Merthyr Tudful said: “This is great news for Merthyr Tudful!  One of our hopes during the development of the Soar Project was that it would kick start the regeneration of the Pontmorlais area.  This is an area that is in dire need of investment.   The THI will enable other organisations, businesses and residents to improve their buildings in a cohesive and sympathetic way.  The initiative will enhance the Soar Project and could potentially result in its future expansion.” 

 Merthyr Tydfil Council’s proposed links with Merthyr Tydfil College will also provide conservation skills training to students, local businesses and residents to improve the local base of skills in the area and ensure long term upkeep of the built heritage.

 A series of community activities are also planned to encourage local people to explore the heritage on their doorstep, which includes Dic Penderyn and the Merthyr Uprising, the Trevethick Trail and the route of the first Railway. Ideas for community engagement range from interpretation via artworks and an oral history project to record local people’s memories.

Town Centre Strategic Review

This document is now available to download below. The document sets our the key priority projects for the regeneration of the town centre for the short, medium and long term.

Public Convenience Grant

Private businesses will be offered grant assistance up to £500 to allow the public to use their conveniences. The grant will be able to assist the business with maintenance and general running costs. Application forms and the grant criteria are now available.

To apply for this grant or for more information on what other types of business support are available please contact:

economicdevelopment@merthyr.gov.uk

or write to:

Business Support Team
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
Orbit Business Centre
Rhydycar Business Park
Merthyr Tydfil
CF48 1DL

Town Centre Partnership agrees development study for a Business Improvement District (BID)

Update 16th December 2009 - The Means have been appointed as the consultants to undertake the BID development Study. Work on this study has now commenced.

A Business Improvement District is a partnership between a local authority and the local business community to develop projects and services that will benefit the trading environment within the boundary of a clearly defined commercial area. 

BIDs allow businesses in a defined area and business sector(s) to vote on which additional services they want to invest in, to improve their trading environment.

The vote is open to tenants –
if a majority, both by number and by rateable value, approve the proposal, all ratepayers will contribute through their business rates.

BIDs give local businesses the power to effect changes that will benefit them in their local community. Improvements may include extra safety/security, cleansing and environmental measures, improved promotion of the area, improved events, and greater advocacy on key issues, but the legislation does not put a limit on what products or services are provided.

Businesses have the opportunity to agree on the projects for which they are contributing and to vote in a ballot on the amount of money they are prepared to raise, enabling them to become involved in the administration of the schemes themselves. BIDs are operated by not-for-profit partnership organisations.

The interests of large and small businesses are protected through a system which requires a successful vote to have a simple majority in both votes cast and rateable value of votes cast. Businesses must be able to sustain the additional cost - if they are not viable the BID levy raise enough income to make it a worthwhile venture.

Once voted for, the levy becomes mandatory on all defined ratepayers and is treated as a statutory debt. The plan voted for has a lifespan of 5 years and further proposals will have to be reaffirmed through a vote.

Local Authorities play an important facilitating role and in particular are charged with legal responsibilities, including the provision of the ratings data to calculate the BID levy, the collection and enforcement of the BID levy via a ring-fenced BID Revenue Account that is then passed straight to the BID company, the organisation of the formal BID ballot, and the preparation and commitment to the baseline service agreements.

For further details about Regeneration in Merthyr Tydfil, please contact:

Regeneration Department

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council

Civic Centre, Castle Street

Merthyr Tydfil  CF47 8AN

Tel. 01685 725007

Fax. 01685 723751

towncentre@merthyr.gov.uk

Whats New

• 02/09/10 - How to make a bid
• 02/09/10 - August 2010
• 01/09/10 - Traffic Information
• 01/09/10 - Early Years Training Courses
• 01/09/10 - Licence - Hackney Carriage Vehicle
• 01/09/10 - Licence - Pet Shop