Posted: Thu 2nd Feb 2017

Collapsed Building Site & Former Chapel to Undergo Over £500k of Renovation Works

Wrexham.com for people living in or visiting the Wrexham area
This article is old - Published: Thursday, Feb 2nd, 2017

The site of a derelict building which dramatically collapsed and a former town centre chapel are to undergo more than £500,000 worth of major renovation works.

The former store on Pen Y Bryn and the former Ebeneser Chapel at Bodhyfryd, will undergo the works thanks to more than £500k worth of ‘development loans’ from Wrexham Council via the Welsh Government-backed scheme.

The site of the derelict building on Pen-y-Bryn, which suddenly collapsed into the road in early 2015 will be redeveloped for commercial and residential purposes, with a combined £350,000 empty property loan and commercial property loan.

The now-empty site on Pen Y Bryn, which lies on the southern route into Wrexham town centre, will have a new lease of life with a ground-floor retail development and 24 high quality flats above.

Work, which will be carried out by contractors DMR North Wales of Coedpoeth, speaking about the project, John Small, Director of DMR said that work is expected to be completed by October 2017.

Mr Small continued: “Pen y Bryn will be a high-quality building offering value-for-money accommodation to let and a small selection of local shops. We would not have been able to start the Penybryn site or to follow such an ambitious build schedule, if it were not for the assistance of WCBC through their Vibrant & Viable Places initiative.

Local Councillor for the Offa Ward, Cllr Alun Jenkins described the investment as a ‘major boost’

He said: “I and the Council have campaigned hard for improvements to this area over many years and created the Pen Y Bryn and Bridge Street Regeneration Area in 2002/3, which provided a blueprint for local land and property owners to work with the Council to bring about the comprehensive redevelopment of the run-down and unattractive areas which lie along one of the busiest entrances into the town centre.

“This very welcome redevelopment will be a major boost for the Pen Y Bryn area, showing the potential of the area and giving encouragement for further improvements to be achieved. It would not have been brought about without the vital Welsh Government VVP funding, for which we have been very grateful.”

Also due a revamp is the former Capel Ebeneser on Chester Road, which will be demolished and redeveloped as residential accommodation backed by a £250,000 empty property loan.

In April 2016 Wrexham.com reported that plans to demolish the former chapel and develop flats on the site, had been submitted. More recently permission to demolish the building was granted.

Welcoming the redevelopment programme, Carole O’Toole, Councillor for Maesydre Ward, said: “I am delighted that VVP money is being used in Maesydre ward.”

 

Both developments are funded via the Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places (VVP) scheme, which aims to regenerate and develop townscapes through positive investment. Due to the nature of the loan scheme, all repayments are reinvested in other eligible properties over a 15 year period.

The two developments are part of a series of VVP projects across Wrexham, providing a total VVP investment of over £10.8 million and additional significant private investment for projects in the town aimed at enabling physical and economic regeneration of the Wrexham Town Centre and Caia Park and Hightown areas.

VVP spend in Wrexham has included establishing Sprouts Nursery in Rhosddu, the creation of the Town Centre Masterplan and the creation of an Arts and Cultural / Market space in the People’s Market.

Cllr Neil Rogers, Lead Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, said he was pleased to see both the sites being renovated.

“Bringing both back into use will be for the good of Wrexham and show the confidence that developers and landlords have in the town,” said Cllr Rogers.

“We know that the Penybryn site has been of especial interest to local people, as it sits on one of the main arteries into town and its potential development has been of keen interest to residents and visitors alike.

“I also hope this development will help to kick-start the renovation of vacant properties around Wrexham, especially those in and close to the town centre.”

For further information about the range of residential and commercial property improvement loans available throughout the County Borough, contact Siôn Wynne, Private Sector Improvement Officer on 01978 315 587 or [email protected]



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