Council in bid to secure funds to boost city
ABID will be made for a share of a multi-million-pound pot to boost the fortunes of north Wales’ biggest city.
Of the £11m earmarked for town centre regeneration in north Wales, Gwynedd council is hoping to secure £3m to help projects in Bangor, including targeting eyesore buildings in the city, developing an integrated health, family and wellbeing centre and establishing a joint housing and multi-services provision for the homeless.
On Tuesday, Gwynedd council’s cabinet approved the draft regional regeneration strategy for the region, which be jointly developed with the other five authorities to support projects in some of the region’s most deprived towns and cities.
Other towns earmarked for town centre support are Wrexham, Colwyn Bay and Llysfaen, and Rhyl, with a further £9.25m earmarked to bring empty properties into use across all six authorities – replacing the previous Vibrant & Viable Places programme.
Although still in the embryonic stages of their development, among the potential projects earmarked in the Gwynedd Council report is a fully integrated family centre in the Maesgeirchen area of Bangor.
“In terms of improving the life chances of the children on the estate, the centre will be able to provide facilities to assist those outside of the employment market to become work ready”, the report states.
Also mooted is the employment of a programme manager to co-ordinate the regeneration plan and the development of a multi-agency and integrated health, family and wellbeing centre.
This would involve primary care, community, family health and therapy services all under one roof, with a seperate facility offering services for homeless clients in the city and trying to integrate them into the community and providing help through a local housing association.
It added: “Project activities will have a significant focus on revitalising and growing housing stock within the city, tackling negative issues around houses of multiple occupancy, improving intermediate housing supply and working with registered social landlords and the private sector to return properties back to a standard where young people in particular would wish to live.
“High levels of social deprivation exist in the Maesgeirchen area of the city, proposals are also being developed in respect of the Glancegin Integrated Family Centre which would provide support and access to key services that currently do not exist. In addition to providing support to the families in terms of improving the life chances of the children on the estate, a purpose built centre will be able to provide facilities to assist those outside of the employment market to become work ready.”
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