Transforming Towns is a Welsh Government programme committed to addressing the decline in Welsh towns and city centres and to reinvent and reinvigorate them into places where people want to spend their time.
It’s fair to say that Neath Port Talbot’s towns are facing many challenges currently, as a result of reduced demand for high street retail and the pandemic. The programme is focussed on improving biodiversity and green infrastructure; reuse of vacant buildings; increasing the variety of services on offer in towns with an emphasis on flexible working and living space; and access to services and leisure.
We’ve secured funding from the Transforming Towns programme to help support capital investment for the regeneration of 6 key town centres across the county – the Placemaking Grant (PMG).
The town centres where we’re making the Placemaking Grant funding available are:
- Port Talbot
- Briton Ferry
- Neath
- Pontardawe
- Glynneath
- Ystalyfera
If your business or organisation is considering making an application, it’s a good idea to discuss your project idea with a local project officer first, who can advise you if it would be eligible for funding and help you with making an initial expression of interest. In addition to satisfying the Placemaking Grant framework criteria, projects must also demonstrate clear links to a current town place plan or town centre strategy.
Activities that the Placemaking Grant could fund include:
To enhance building frontages, together with the upgrade of vacant commercial floor space to bring it back into beneficial business use
To convert vacant floor space on the upper floors of commercial properties into new residential accommodation
To include low- or zero-carbon infrastructure and/or green spaces
To provide small-scale public realm enhancements where there is demonstrable social and economic impact
To complete land assembly for larger strategic proposals, e.g., demolition to deliver improved connectivity or to provide greenspace, public facilities or enhanced public realm
To procure trading stalls, stands and platforms, etc. and install external electrical supplies
To establish temporary meanwhile or pop-up businesses in existing vacant premises
To enhance external shop frontages without the need for any internal modification or redevelopment
o support Wi-Fi analytics and LoRaWAN network
To facilitate active travel routes where this cannot be funded through other means
To provide outdoor play facilities, multi-use games areas and outdoor recreational pursuits
The Place Making Grant Programme will run for another two years from the 1st of April 2025. All funded projects will need to be completed by January 2027.
If you have an idea for a regeneration project you’d like to talk to us about, or for further information and grant guidelines, please contact Donna Williams on 07890 892 989 or send an email using the button below:
NB: Only items over £50.00 exclusive of VAT will be eligible
The following must be adhered to:
- If you have your own Procurement Poilcy – A copy must be provided to Neath Port Talbot Council’s UKSPF Programme Management Office for their records.
- If you do not have a Procurement Policy, you MUST follow the following rules to demonstrate value for money:
Contracts up to £10,000 – 1 (one) written quotation from a competitive source to demonstrate good practice and value for money. Copy of quotation retained for records. All figures include VAT.
Contracts £10,000 to £100,000 – A minimum of 2 (two) quotations must be sought from competitive sources with at least 1 (one) quotations being received. The quotations must be based on:
- the same specification of requirements
- the same evaluation criteria and evaluated on a like for like basis. It is good practice to establish an evaluation panel.
- the same closing date for receipt of quotes, after which no submissions will be accepted.
A documented record of the quotations sought, the evaluation process and the decision to award must be recorded for audit purposes.
*In the event that only 1 (one) quotation is received, you must contact the Council to provide details and justification of the procurement process you have undertaken. The decision to proceed to purchase must be approved by the Council on a case by case basis. Copy of all quotations and correspondence retained for records. All figures include VAT.
Over £100,000 up to Procurement Act 2023 threshold (currently £214,904 for goods/services and £5,372,609 for works). A minimum of 3 (three) quotations must be sought from competitive sources. In the event that less than two quotations are received, you must contact the Council to provide details and justification of the procurement process you have undertaken. The decision to proceed to purchase must be approved by the Council on a case by case basis. Copy of all quotations and correspondence retained for records. All figures include VAT.
All those invited to provide a quotation must be provided with the same information:
- the same specification of requirements
- an outline of the evaluation criteria against which the contract will be awarded and
- the same closing date for receipt of quotes, after which no submissions will be accepted.
The evaluation process you follow must be consistent with the original evaluation criteria outlined and a justification sheet produced detailing on what basis the successful tender was awarded. It is the best practice to establish an evaluation panel to evaluation tenders.
For Procurement processes with a value above the UK Threshold, contact your Council Project Officer.
NB: Submitted applications must be duly authorised by the owner, a partner or director in the business.
Below are some examples of completed projects:
The Cantebury Arms, Neath
The Woolpack, Glynneath
London Road, Neath