Council hit jackpot as £1.5m secured to help renovate and enhance historic buildings in town centre

More than £1.5 million has been secured to help renovate and regenerate historic buildings in Wrexham town centre.

The National Lottery funding will be used to enhance more than 30 buildings earmarked for improvement within the Town Centre Conservation.

It comes after Wrexham Council was awarded a £65k grant last summer – allowing it to pursue a second round bid for £1.52 million for the Wrexham Townscape Heritage Scheme.

The five year project will look to restore and conserve many of the town’s historically important buildings by making them more attractive for local businesses and individuals.

Wrexham Town Centre Conservation Area was first designated in March 1974 and extended in August 1975, June 1985 and most recently in April 2007.

It covers a large chunk of the town centre including the Butchers and General Markets, St Giles Church and large parts of the High Street, Hope Street and Regent Street.

Led by Wrexham County Borough Council, the work be carried will benefit Wrexham and the surrounding area for many years to come according to Becky Lowry, head of service for regeneration.

“Our aim with this work is to focus on the historic core of Wrexham town centre and any work carried out will complement wider ongoing regeneration projects,” she explained.

“We are working with Ty Pawb and Wrexham Museum among others to ensure there is a joined up approach and considering this is National Lottery players’ money it was important that we took the local community’s views into account.

“There are bright times ahead for Wrexham.”

The scheme will also combine training, education and raising awareness through up-skilling via a complementary Traditional Building Skills Programme – including plastering, traditional joinery techniques and lime mortar use.

This will be carried out to help ensure the renovations are undertaken in a “sympathetic manner and in keeping with many of the buildings’ important heritage.”

Helen Williams from Cadwyn Clwyd – a key organisation partner with the scheme – said: “This is excellent news for Wrexham and the north east of Wales.

“While the ultimate aim is to enhance the facilities and services within Wrexham town centre itself the process will allow students and local people to get involved in training programmes and skills events and they will be able to take pride in their hands on involvement in a project that is crucial for the area’s long term sustainability.”

Other key partners include Coleg Cambria, CITB, Cadw, the North Wales Economic Ambitions Board, Wrexham Civic Society and CAIS.