Wrexham Gateway gets funding boost from Wrexham Council

Wrexham Council have committed another large sum of money towards the Gateway project.

At the time of writing the wait goes on for the overall verdict on the Levelling Up bid, however some extra funding for the project has been allocated – from Wrexham Council.

Previously we have documented how Wrexham Council have already agreed to back the development to the tune of £2.5m back in February.

On Monday Wrexham Council’s Executive Board moved to ‘Part 2’ secrecy at the end of the meeting to consider report titled ‘Wrexham Gateway Implementation Plan’.

As a result of that session it has been agreed that an additional £1.16m has been identified towards the cost of funding the delivery phase of the project during the short term.

The council cash will be recoverable from Levelling Up funding – or alternative sources if the bid is unsuccessful.

Work on the plan continues full steam ahead along the lines of the submitted Levelling Up bid, which will include see the council working with partners and commissioning of specialist external support to continue the delivery phase.

No detail has been made public, however the council have said they are “authorised to update current Legal Agreements with the Wrexham Gateway Partnership and Wrexham AFC In light of new financial arrangements and conditions associated with LUF in order to deliver specifically agreed regeneration activity through the Wrexham Gateway.”

Significantly Chief Officers at Wrexham Council now have authority to utilise Compulsory Purchase powers, if required, for the acquisition of land parcels within the Wrexham Gateway project area.

It appears the council itself could be the purchasers to give them, and by proxy all of us, ” a tangible stake in the future regeneration of the Wrexham Gateway”.

A more pressing need to use that method will ‘safeguard’ against ‘ ransom scenarios that landowners may be tempted to take advantage of’.

The £1.16m cash is noted as helping “to fund further works required for delivery of the Kop stand development”, and various land acquisition completion.