Welsh Government ‘fully committed’ to redevelopment of Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground

The Welsh Government has underlined its commitment to Wrexham after Tory Ministers snubbed the football club and city for a second time.

Clwyd South MS Ken Skates had called for reassurances that Welsh Ministers would continue to support the Wrexham Gateway project and the redevelopment of the Racecourse Ground in light of the UK Government turning its back on the ‘transformational’ project.

In the Senedd today, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething confirmed the Welsh Governments commitment to delivering the Wrexham Gateway Project.

Mr Gething said: “We are having urgent discussions with our partners to assess the impact of the UK Government’s decision not to support the Gateway in the latest levelling-up round of funding, and to identify alternative ways of delivering the benefits that the Gateway project could and should provide.”

Mr Skates thanked the Mr Gething for the positive message for the people of Wrexham and the region.

Levelling-up

He added: “Wrexham AFC, of course, have been talking recently about a plan B, and the Welsh Government has already earmarked, I believe, £25m to this project. Will you commit to engaging with the club, and other project stakeholders, to help develop plan B, and ensure that this project comes to fruition for the people of Wrexham?”

Mr Gething told the Senedd those discussions were already taking place. He said: “Of course, it’s disappointing that Wrexham and Flintshire didn’t receive anything from the levelling-up bids.

“There are a range of projects that you couldn’t say amount to levelling-up, like £19m that somehow found its way to the Prime Minister’s very wealthy rural constituency.

“The allocation that we’ve already provided in 2021, of the £25m you mentioned, is still available. My officers met with the Wrexham Gateway partnership last week, following the announcement. We will carry on working with our partners to look at alternative funding options – as you say, a plan B – and that will of course include discussions with the football club.”

After Senedd proceedings had concluded, Mr Skates said: “Last summer, amid the chaos and a carousel of ministerial changes at Westminster, I wrote to three different Levelling Up Secretaries within a few weeks calling for urgent reassurances that the mayhem we all saw unfolding on a daily basis would not threaten the Wrexham Gateway bid. The silence was deafening.

“There is a huge amount of disappointment locally about the UK Government snubbing this transformational project for the second time, despite unwavering support for the football club and city from all other partners – the Welsh Government, Wrexham Council, the FAW and Wrexham Glyndwr University. I was delighted to hear the Minister underline that commitment today.”