FUNDING to develop a range of regeneration projects for Pontypool and Blaenavon town centres has been agreed by senior councillors.

Torfaen council is preparing to submit bids to the UK Government’s Levelling-up Fund to support seven projects in the two towns.

Developing the projects and the bids will cost £615,000, including design work and consultancy costs.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, councillors agreed to allocate £490,000 from council reserves towards the costs, with the UK Government providing the remaining £125,000.

Projects in Pontypool which would be supported by the levelling-up bid include schemes on Commercial Street, Hanbury Road, the Civic Centre car park, the Link, Crane Street and Hanbury Road park entrance, while the project in Blaenavon is based at Ty Mawr.

Cllr Jo Gauden, executive member for economy, skills and regeneration, said businesses in Torfaen had proved themselves to be ‘resilient’ during challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, but that town centres in the borough are “not immune” from national trends.

She said the “suite of projects” being developed would bring “real change”, introducing more food and drink outlets, pop-up spaces and new visitor accommodation.

A council report says the proposed projects will contribute towards Torfaen council’s “Place Plan” vision for each of the towns.

The vision for Pontypool is to make it “a more accessible and attractive town built around its market town qualities”, supporting independent businesses and providing an improved commercial leisure, hospitality and night-time economy.

Links to Pontypool Park will also be improved as part of the plan.

For Blaenavon, the plan aims to “build upon the outstanding potential of the historic assets”.

The vision is also to build on the appeal of Blaenavon as a visitor destination by improving its commercial leisure offering.

Dave Leech, the council’s chief officer for communities, customer and digital, said that if the Levelling-up Fund bid is unsuccessful, the council will apply for funding for the same projects from different funders.

Council leader, Cllr Anthony Hunt gave his support to the proposed funding and said it was important the council makes its bid “as effective as it possibly can be”.

The bids are expected to be submitted in the coming months when the second round of the Levelling-Up Fund is launched by the UK Government.