Local town centre businesses urged to consider property support

Businesses in Newtown and Welshpool could miss out on valuable financial support to enhance their town centre properties while supporting the revitalisation of the town, a local architect has said.

Businesses and property owners must act quickly if they want to take advantage of the Welsh Government's Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant scheme, run in partnership with Powys and Ceredigion County Councils, according to Doug Hughes, Principal Architect and Managing Director of Hughes Architects, an architectural and planning consultancy practice based in the region.

The funding programme, designed to breathe new life into the region's town centres, will end at the close of 2025, but many projects will need to create plans and planning applications which can take months to complete.

The Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant offers substantial funding for projects that rejuvenate Mid Wales’s town centres. Individual grants of up to £250,000 are available, with a total programme budget of £5 million. 

Eligible projects must meet with existing town revitalisation plans and include initiatives such as refurbishment and renovation of properties; development of commercial and residential spaces; improvements to public shared outdoor spaces; installation and use of digital infrastructure.

"The funds provided by the Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant are a lifeline for revitalising our Mid Wales towns," says Doug Hughes, Principal Architect and Managing Director of Hughes Architects. 

"However, projects such as renovations or repurposing buildings rarely happen overnight. Securing the grant is essential, but architectural design, planning applications, and the work itself will take time."

He urged those interested to act sooner rather than later. The practice has already been involved in several Town Centre Regeneration projects in Newtown, Welshpool and Aberystwyth.

"From concept to completion, redeveloping a property takes thoughtful preparation," added Richard Lewis, Architect and Director at Hughes Architects. "We have the expertise and experience to guide individuals and businesses through the grant application process and deliver the architectural solutions these revitalisation projects require."

Beyond individual properties, the programme has wider benefits for local communities. "This grant is a catalyst for reimagining our town centres," Doug said. "It's about making them vibrant places to live, to work, and to attract new business. That's the kind of transformation that benefits us all."