Campaigners claim £1.5m heritage grant under threat

Alec Doyle, local democracy reporter

A £1.5m heritage grant to improve access to the Clywedog Valley is under threat because Wrexham Council has not signed a country park over to a community trust, according to local councillors.

Coedpoeth Community Council unanimously passed a resolution this week calling on Wrexham County Borough Council to urgently agree to the community asset transfer (CAT) or long-term lease of the Nant Mill Country Park to the Nant Mill Community Trust.

The transfer has been in the works since 2020, but has become more urgent after community council claims that the grant awarded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund (NHLF) to the Clywedog Valley Partnership in 2023 is at risk.

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The grant was awarded to fund a five-year project to create a unified heritage space along the Clywedog Valley Trail in Wrexham.

It would upgrade footpaths, accessibility and visitor information across the valley from the Minera quarries and mine to Kingsmill via Nant Mill and help restore a number of heritage assets.

The funding was contingent on the CAT taking place. However, according to Coedpoeth Community Council members Wrexham Council’s ongoing ownership of Nant Mill Country Park is blocking progress, and the funding may soon be lost as a result.

Wrexham Council’s Executive Board was due to consider the CAT in December but it was not included on the agenda.

Culmination

Local members Cllr Anthony Wedlake and Cllr Krista Childs claim that when they queried this they were assured it would be included on the March Executive Board agenda.

After it failed to appear as an item at this month’s meeting, Cllr Wedlake plans to raise the matter at full council next Wednesday (March 26).

“The transfer of Nant Mill is the culmination of years of work to realise a considerable investment into the natural and industrial heritage of our accessible countryside,” he said.

“It is an investment that the council, in the current economic environment, has no chance of delivering.

‘To threaten this wonderful opportunity due to failed promises and inactivity from the political leadership of the Wrexham Council is disgraceful. The residents of Coedpoeth deserve better.”

Travesty

He added that his understanding was that there were no objections to the transfer and the expectation was that it would be recommended.

Cllr Childs said: “Having been a member of Friends of Nant Mill for many years, I have been extremely supportive and proactive in championing the CAT of Nant Mill for the benefit of our community and visitors alike.

‘It would be a huge travesty to lose this valuable opportunity and resource that Groundworks and all the members of the Clywedog Valley Partnership have worked so incredibly hard to achieve.”

Darren Williams, Chief Environment and Technical Officer for Wrexham Council said: “The department is in the process of reviewing country parks as a key element of our open spaces strategy.

‘As part of this we are considering the leasing proposals and options around potential partnership working to ensure maximum benefits to the local communities.”