Pembrokeshire County Council updated on progress of regeneration plans

THE “momentum” of regeneration work in the county has been championed by senior councillors this week with £12.6million of grant funding secured in the last six months.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s cabinet were updated on the authority’s regeneration plans at its meeting on Monday (March 15) as work started on one of the Haverfordwest town centre projects at the former Ocky White store.

Cabinet member for economic development Cllr Paul Miller said the council was leading the way in digital connectivity and supporting access to UK and Welsh Government voucher schemes to connect areas across the county.

He said Pembrokeshire was at the forefront of improving digital connection with the aim of universal access to high quality broadband by 2023 and “officers on the ground in lots of places starting to deliver.”

He said from “a bit of standing start” the regeneration plans were “really starting to develop some momentum” and underpin the strategic aim of the council to be connected, have the right “offering” and be “discovered.”

Town centre projects include Haverfordwest Riverside, Western Quayside – with more than £5million for both projects secured – and the castle regeneration, as well as Pembroke’s South Quay project which has more than £3million in grant funding allocated.

A further £2mill has been secured for the Welsh Government joint venture at Withybush food park, £1.7million for the transforming towns budget for next year and £325,000 for green infrastructure.

Reference to the Swansea Bay City Deal and the Pembrokeshire Marine Project, as well as Milford Haven Port Authority plans for the haven waterway and marina and the benefits to the local economy and jobs  was also made.

Council leader Cllr David Simpson the council “should have taken ourselves to court” for the neglect of listed buildings in Pembroke which were now being restored as part of the South Quay project while Cllr Jon Harvey welcomed the “exciting” projects.

There was praise from the rest of the cabinet, including Cllr Michelle Bateman, who added: “It really feels at this point that it’s building momentum and there’s some real energy around it.”