Jayne Bryant (Image: Welsh Government)
Last Updated: 1 minute ago
Communities across Wales are set to benefit from a major new wave of regeneration funding targeting high streets and public spaces in multiple towns and cities.
Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government Jayne Bryant confirmed the £12.6 million investment on Thursday, 26 March, during a visit to the Biophilic Living project at Mowbray Yard in Swansea. The cash forms part of the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme, which has now distributed more than £494 million in grants and loans to all 22 local authorities since launching in 2020.
Where is the money going?
Swansea picks up a significant share. The redevelopment of 1 Oxford Street will receive up to £4,988,000 in grant funding alongside a £1 million loan, while Phase 2 of the Potters Wheel project has been allocated up to £750,000 in grant funding and a further £1 million loan.
Elsewhere, £1.7 million has been earmarked for the redevelopment of the Grade II listed Merthyr Synagogue, and £837,000 will support the acquisition of 29 and 31 Taff Street in Pontypridd.
Cardiff Council will receive £140,000 in 2026-27 to develop Placemaking Plans for the Adamsdown, Splott, Butetown and Cardiff Bay areas, while £200,000 has been set aside for public realm and active travel improvements connecting the new leisure centre, transport interchange and surrounding communities in Caerphilly.
A £2 million grant has also been allocated to a project in Newport, though full details have not been disclosed due to commercial sensitivities. In Maesteg, £7,059 will fund the design-to-planning stage of the Talbot Street shopfront enveloping scheme.
What the Cabinet Secretary said
Jayne Bryant said: “This funding is not just about infrastructure – it is about creating real, tangible change for the people who live and work in these areas.
“By revitalising town centres, supporting local businesses, and improving public spaces, we are helping to build places where communities can thrive both socially and economically.
“We know that strong, vibrant high streets are the backbone of wider economic growth across Wales. When our town centres succeed, they attract investment, create jobs, and provide opportunities that benefit the whole region.”
