For Princes Regeneration TrustCeri DaviesHomes and Places DivisionDepartment for Communities and Tackling Poverty

Presentation overview

1. Background

2. Review

3. Framework

4. Targeted investment

5. Tackling Poverty and Loans

6. VVP and Heritage

7. Cadw

1.1 Context

• Enduring economic downturn• Renewed focus on jobs and growth, and tackling

poverty• Imminent fulfilment of commitments to existing

seven Regeneration Areas• Housing as key driver of regeneration• Particular challenges (identified in 2011 Labour

manifesto):– Changing functions of town centres– Role of coastal communities– Need to align with Communities First

1.2 The story

• 2012-early 2013: Regeneration policy review and formal consultation

• March 2013: ‘Vibrant and Viable Places’ framework published

• July 2013: Stage 1 bids from 22 local authorities assessed - 11 go forward; £5 million poverty fund announced

• January 2014: 11 local authorities get 3 year allocations

2.1 Policy review key messages

• Changing consumer patterns• Market cannot deliver in difficult economic

climate• Strengthened governance needed for

delivery• Local partnership and engagement critical

– both People and Place• Need for clear, cross-government

articulation of policy

2.2 Lessons learned from 7 Regeneration Areas

• Regeneration area strengths in partnership, local knowledge and investment levered in

• Regeneration area limitations – surrounding policy and objectives too broad– funding not driven by strategic rationales at national

or local level– displacement of mainstream funding

3.1 Vision and definition

• Our vision is that everybody in Wales should live in well-connected vibrant, viable and sustainable communities with a strong local economy and good quality of life.

• We define regeneration as “an integrated set of activities that seek to reverse economic, social, environmental and physical decline to achieve lasting improvement, in areas where market forces will not do this alone without some support from government”.

3.2 Key indicators

• Stronger link with tackling poverty and jobs/growth

– Job creation– Supporting people into work– Levering in private and other funding– Monitoring how much money spent in Wales

3.3 Governance

• Local delivery– Local authority led– Effective partnerships

• National strategic oversight and facilitation– Whole-Government approach– Overseen by new Ministerial Advisory Group

3.4 Commitments

• £90m targeted regeneration investment over next three years (£102 m agreed at end)

• Additional support for:– establishing Business Improvement Districts– Town Centre Partnerships– promotion of Welsh high streets– community regeneration eg Coastal

Communities Fund

• Championing research, evaluation and innovation

3.5 Homes

• Housing and Regeneration together in one portfolio. Portfolios are key.

• Regeneration investment is a key lever

• Tackling impacts of welfare reform in the short term

• Join up with town centre renewal

• Recognising homes need places

3.6 Evidence based

• Targeting funding by assessing rationale in business cases

• Setting national outcomes

• Setting consistent monitoring and both local and national evaluation

4.1 Process

• Each local authority submitted one application on behalf of a local partnership (public, private, third sectors)

• Guideline given of £15m for 3 years (maximum 75% WG-funded)

• Application process July to January

• Newport, Anglesey, Merthyr funded in full• Conwy, Wrexham, NPT, RCT, Flintshire,

Bridgend, Swansea, Torfaen part funded

4.2 Newport – “Connecting Commercial Street”

• Poor condition heritage buildings and office space -> retail, business and residential

• Landlord loans• Energy efficiency

retro-fitting• Community benefits

training opportunities

4.3 Holyhead – “Realising Sustainable Community Benefit”• Homes - Unlocking

housing development sites; “Town homes”

• Places - New business space; Town centre improvement – drawing in HLF

• People - Complementing Communities First, improving community facilities

4.4 Merthyr – “See the potential”

• Creating conditions for housing development – tackling derelict sites, attracting private investors

• Addressing fuel poverty• Support to start-up

businesses• Investment in community

leisure facilities

5 Tackling poverty

• £7 million VVP Tackling Poverty fund for 7 local authorities

• Capital / Revenue: VVP – Communities First

• Catalyst for jobs and growth• Contribute to LIFT – Tackling Workless

Households – 5,000 opportunities target• Requiring Community Benefits through

procurement• Benefits of more and better homes

6. VVP and HeritageLocal Authority Projects targeting Historic

Buildings/buildings at riskHeritage-led area-based projects

Projects with potential impact on historic character

Anglesey Market Hall (listed grade II) Viable Town Centre – including Townscape Heritage Initiative

Town Homes – including improvements to empty premises

Conwy   Colwyn Bay Townscape Heritage Initiative

Housing Renewal North Colwyn Bay

Flintshire     1.Living above the shop; 2.bringing vibrancy to the High Street

Wrexham     1.Redefining the town centre; 2.empty properties; 3. SW Wrexham Housing Renewal areas

Neath Port Talbot Former Plaza Cinema (listed grade II)

  1.Empty homes/neighbourhood renewal; 2.houses to homes

Rhondda Cynon Taff     1.From Vacant to Viable; 2.Homestep Plus; 3. Pontypridd Townscape Enhancement Programme

Swansea     1.Sandfields Housing Renewal; 2. housing above retail premises; 3. property enhancement grants

Merthyr Tydfil 1.St Tydfil’s Hospital Site –entrance block central part listed grade II, setting and curtilage issues;2. Labour Exchange3. Theatre Royal – listed grade II4. Miners Hall (listed grade II), Miners Arms and Kingdom Hall5.YMCA (listed grade II)6. Trevithick House7. St Davids Hall – listed grade II8. Cyfarthfa Heritage Area (Castle listed grade I) 

1.Pontmorlais THI

Vacant property grants 

Newport 1.Newport Market2. 62 & 66 Cardiff Road (listed grade II)3. Westgate Hotel (listed grade II)4. Yates Hotel (listed grade II)

Townscape Heritage Initiative

1.Olympia House2.Kings Hotel (in conservation area)3.39 and 123 Commercial street4.Lower Dock Street (within historic area/THI)5. Housing Regeneration Toolkit

Bridgend   Townscape Heritage Initiative

1.Homes in Town scheme2. Nolton Street 

Torfaen 1.35 Commercial Street (listed grade II)2.St James’s Church Project (listed grade II)

  Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Project

7. Cadw

• Cadw offers grants as a contribution towards the costs of repairing and restoring historic assets as well as match funding towards community, local authority and third sector led projects.  

• Cadw will consider grant offers to:

• Owners for buildings that are of outstanding architectural interest, ‘at risk’ or where the funding will have substantial community regeneration benefits. The rate of grant allocated will usually be no more than 30% of eligible works.

• Owners of scheduled ancient monuments to protect and enhance them. Such grants generally take one of two forms.  The first involves a grant to the owner or someone acting on his/her behalf for works which will benefit the monument. The second is based on a 'management agreement' between Cadw and the occupier of a monument which lasts for a set number of years. Under such an agreement financial help is given for positive works on a regular basis, such as fencing, scrub clearance, erosion repair, and stock control.  

Cadw

• Local authorities towards conservation works which are part of local authority and Cadw Town Scheme Partnerships (TSPs) or the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Townscape Heritage Initiative.

• Third sector or community groups for projects which promote local heritage under Cadw’s Civic Initiatives (Heritage) Grant Scheme.  The maximum grant is £5,000 to be match funded by non-public sector sources.

• Jill is in the audience!!