Major funding bid submitted to regenerate Holyhead

A multi-million-pound funding bid that could spark the regeneration of Holyhead and help transform the town has been submitted by the Isle of Anglesey County Council.

The bid document, “Holyhead: A culture and heritage driven transformation”, proposes a package of projects to increase employment; improve the town centre offer and visitor experience; increase footfall and spending; provide modern floor space to meet business needs and increase access to the arts, culture and leisure.

If successful, the council would secure £22.5m of investment, including £17m from the Levelling Up Fund, and deliver over £54m in benefits to the local community.

The Island’s largest town, Holyhead has some of the worst deprived neighbourhoods in Wales. The bid would see key local assets enhanced to make the area a better place to live and visit.

The Isle of Anglesey County Council has worked in partnership with Holyhead Town Council, Môn CF, the Ucheldre Centre and the Church in Wales to understand the area’s needs and present a package of interventions in and around Holyhead.

Anglesey Council Deputy Leader and Economic Development portfolio holder, Councillor Carwyn Jones, said, “We needed to ensure that our bid was well thought out and took advantage of the opportunities from the Levelling Up Fund to make a real and lasting difference to local people’s lives and opportunities.”

“We’ve worked incredibly closely with our partners for nearly a year to progress and develop their ideas and have a strong bid that meets all of UK Government’s requirements. The bid needed the endorsement of local MP Virginia Crosbie, who has not hesitated in her support of the bid.

“Now that the bid is submitted we have a little bit of time until the autumn to hear the outcome. If successful, it will act as a major step towards the revival of Holyhead, with benefits that spread across the whole Island.”

Ambitious bid

Virginia Crosbie MP said, “I am delighted to support this bid by Anglesey County Council and thank the officers for their work. It is incredibly important that we work together to do what we can locally to level up, by improving the economy and making a real difference to people’s lives and providing more employment opportunities for local people.

“I have seen first-hand the volume of work that has gone into preparing this bid and it is down to the commitment of everyone involved, from residents, businesses, Holyhead Town Council, and all the other partners that we have this ambitious bid to transform the area.”

“Anglesey has already been awarded almost £200m in funds from the UK Government since I became the Member of Parliament, and I will continue to work hard in Westminster to ensure Ynys Môn remains front and centre of UK Government policy.”

The Levelling Up Fund is a competitive funding programme assessed and administered by the UK Government. Local Authorities are the only body who can submit applications to the fund which covers three key priorities; supporting town centre and high street regeneration, local transport projects, and cultural and heritage assets.

The UK Government is expected to make a decision on the competitive bidding process during the autumn.