Rural Carmarthenshire gets a boost
Rural villages across Carmarthenshire are in line for a facelift thanks to a new Village Enhancement Scheme being funded by the EU Rural Development Plan.
The project, being led by Carmarthenshire County Council, will consist of three elements.
The first will focus on major environmental improvements in Pendine, where nearly £500,000 will be spent over the next couple of years. The scheme has been identified following a period of intensive consultation with the local community.
The second element will involve undertaking feasibility work in other key rural towns, and the final element will see a new pot of funding set up to encourage improvements to commercial properties and environmental enhancements throughout the county’s rural villages.
Further scoping studies will be carried out in key rural towns to identify priority physical regeneration works to improve public areas.
The scoping studies will involve initial town and site assessments, identification of priority projects, public consultation, detailed design work and preparation of tender drawings.
It is hoped that further funding will be secured to complete the physical work.
Dave Gilbert, Director of Regeneration and Leisure, said: “Thanks to the financial support we have secured from the Rural Development Plan we will be able to provide a major boost to the county’s rural economy and strengthen the identity of local communities, therefore encouraging improvements to properties and environmental enhancements in the county’s rural villages using small scale capital investment.
“It will significantly add to the quality of life for local residents and add to the attractiveness of the villages in terms of business and tourism.”
The Village Improvements Grants will be available to micro and community enterprises in rural areas and will pay up to 50 per cent of costs to improve property frontages.
Up to a maximum of £15,000 will be made available to eligible businesses. The grants will only be available to owners of the freehold interest in the property or to lease holders with a minimum 15 years remaining at the anticipated grant payment date.
Lease holders must secure their landlord’s written consent to the proposed works.
Cllr Clive Scourfield, Executive Board Member for Regeneration, said: “This funding should encourage businesses to freshen up their shop fronts and therefore make rural villages brighter, cleaner places.
“This, in turn, will help tourism and make people feel more positive about the places they live and work.
“I hope we receive many grant applications, and I look forward to seeing these village improvements in the near future.”
This project has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
The RDP is designed to support the regeneration of rural areas.
The county has been successful in attracting investment of over £7.5m from the RDP programme.
It is currently being invested in a number of projects designed to support the needs of rural areas.
The project, being led by Carmarthenshire County Council, will consist of three elements.
The first will focus on major environmental improvements in Pendine, where nearly £500,000 will be spent over the next couple of years. The scheme has been identified following a period of intensive consultation with the local community.
The second element will involve undertaking feasibility work in other key rural towns, and the final element will see a new pot of funding set up to encourage improvements to commercial properties and environmental enhancements throughout the county’s rural villages.
Further scoping studies will be carried out in key rural towns to identify priority physical regeneration works to improve public areas.
The scoping studies will involve initial town and site assessments, identification of priority projects, public consultation, detailed design work and preparation of tender drawings.
It is hoped that further funding will be secured to complete the physical work.
Dave Gilbert, Director of Regeneration and Leisure, said: “Thanks to the financial support we have secured from the Rural Development Plan we will be able to provide a major boost to the county’s rural economy and strengthen the identity of local communities, therefore encouraging improvements to properties and environmental enhancements in the county’s rural villages using small scale capital investment.
“It will significantly add to the quality of life for local residents and add to the attractiveness of the villages in terms of business and tourism.”
The Village Improvements Grants will be available to micro and community enterprises in rural areas and will pay up to 50 per cent of costs to improve property frontages.
Up to a maximum of £15,000 will be made available to eligible businesses. The grants will only be available to owners of the freehold interest in the property or to lease holders with a minimum 15 years remaining at the anticipated grant payment date.
Lease holders must secure their landlord’s written consent to the proposed works.
Cllr Clive Scourfield, Executive Board Member for Regeneration, said: “This funding should encourage businesses to freshen up their shop fronts and therefore make rural villages brighter, cleaner places.
“This, in turn, will help tourism and make people feel more positive about the places they live and work.
“I hope we receive many grant applications, and I look forward to seeing these village improvements in the near future.”
This project has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
The RDP is designed to support the regeneration of rural areas.
The county has been successful in attracting investment of over £7.5m from the RDP programme.
It is currently being invested in a number of projects designed to support the needs of rural areas.
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