Wrexham Gateway project could enter second round of ‘levelling up’ fund

Wrexham Council will be given ‘feedback’ on why the Wrexham Gateway project failed in a £18.5m UK Government ‘levelling up’ bid, with a second round opening in Spring next year.

£25 million has already been committed by the Welsh Government for the project, with recent high hopes Wrexham would have been a winning constituency alongside Clwyd South – that was successful in a £13.3m bid to revitalise the area around the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

The issue was raised in the Welsh Parliament with Welsh Government effectively challenged if they would pick up any shortfall if the UK Government did not fund what was being asked for as a contribution to the ‘Gateway’ project.

A the bid was put forward as part of plans to transform the Mold Road gateway into the town, which could see a new 5,000-seat stand built at the Kop end of Wrexham AFC’s Racecourse Ground.

A four-star hotel, multi-storey car park and conferencing and hospitality facility have also been suggested as part of efforts to boost the area’s economy. Around £25m has already been set aside by the Welsh Government to create a transport hub at Wrexham General railway station.

It was hoped the ‘levelling up’ would have unlocked a further £7m to be injected into the project by the private sector.

Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru North Wales MS, asked Minister for North Wales (and Wrexham’s MS) Lesley Griffiths about the recent ‘levelling up’ funding announcements from the Chancellor.

Mr Gruffydd asked, “…the decision of the United Kingdom Government not to support Wrexham council’s bid to the levelling-up fund to renew the Racecourse is a blow to the club and to football more widely, and indeed, to the region more widely.

“You will be aware, I know, that Wrexham football club already draws crowds of over 10,000 for home games. The Racecourse is full on Saturdays, and we need to develop the Racecourse, not just for the club, but, as I said, to ensure a regional and national resource that will be able to attract international games on every level in future.

“That is particularly relevant today, because there are thousands of people from the north who had to travel down once again to Cardiff to watch the national team play. Government after Government, of course, here in Cardiff, have spoken about this from the point of view of the Racecourse, but have never delivered.

“I am eager for us to ensure the development proceeds, despite the decision of the Westminster Government, so will you as a Minister commit to ensure funding from the Welsh Government to develop this part of the town, and of course to contribute to the growth of the region more widely?”

The Minister replied, “As you say, there were far more losers, I think, than winners in Wales as a result of the UK Government’s announcement around the levelling-up fund. Only six local authorities were successful in their bids, and £172 million-worth of bids were refused funding.

“That obviously included the Racecourse ground in my own constituency of Wrexham, and three town centres in Bangor, Barmouth and Bala.”

“I think you make a really important point, and it struck me again last night; when I was a young girl, I would never have been able to come down to Cardiff to watch international football matches. All my attendances at international football matches were at the Racecourse, and I think we are missing a young group of people whose parents are unable to bring them down.

“Certainly, as you say, the Racecourse attracts crowds of just under 10,000 every other week. There is definitely a will within the football club and with the town to see those extra facilities brought to the Racecourse. You’ll be aware that Welsh Government is a partner in the Wrexham gateway project, working with Glyndŵr University and Wrexham County Borough Council.

“I will certainly do all I can, both with my MS hat on, and as the Minister for north Wales, to ensure that that project goes smoothly. It certainly appears to be. I appreciate it is a long-term project.”

Mark Isherwood, Welsh Conservative MS for North Wales, offered some insight and appeared to indicate the local ‘gateway’ bid is already progressing to a second round, “Fortunately, the Wrexham gateway bid is going to the levelling-up fund round 2, and of course the Clwyd South bid was successful in round 1”.

The UK Gov website details that a total of 305 Levelling Up Fund bids were received, and after various assessment and scoring 94 bids were provisionally selected for funding in Great Britain: 76 in England (79.8%), 10 in Wales (7.2%) and 8 in Scotland (10.1%).

UK Gov notes, “Feedback sessions will be offered to unsuccessful places to support applications into further rounds of the Fund. Round two will open in Spring 22 and further details will be set out in due course.”