The Corporate Director Communities reported on the UK Government Levelling Up Fund (LUF) and sought endorsement on the proposed package of projects being developed for Bridgend constituencies for submission to a future application round of the LUF programme and to utilise the Council’s and UK Government resources to do so.

The Corporate Director Communities informed Cabinet that the LUF was announced by the UK Government at the 2020 Spending Review, with up to £4.8 billion set aside until 2024-25 across the UK.  The LUF will invest in local infrastructure and capital projects that have a visible impact on people and their communities.  This includes a range of high value local investment priorities, including local transport schemes, urban and economic regeneration projects and supporting cultural assets. She informed Cabinet that   Local Authorities can only receive funding for one bid for every Member of Parliament (MP) whose constituency lies wholly within their boundary and each Local Authority is eligible to make one additional bid for potential transport projects in the area.  Enabling the Council to make 3 bids, one for each constituency, Bridgend and Ogmore, and a third for a strategic transport project.  Constituency bids can be up to the value of £20m, with scope for larger, high-value transport projects, of up to £50m, with each bid being encouraged to contribute a minimum of 10% funding from local and third-party contributions. 

The Corporate Director Communities reported on the proposed project for the Bridgend constituency, which bring about the redevelopment of the Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl, to include: new function spaces at first floor (Esplanade) level; new rooftop function and cafe spaces offering elevated sea-views across the Bristol Channel; new Studio theatre and ancillary facilities, increased and improved welfare facilities including new changing places facility; business incubation or workshop spaces to street level and new office facilities. 

The Corporate Director Communities reported on the proposed bid for the Ogmore constituency to create the Bridgend Enterprise Development Project (EDP) to increase employment through investments in prioritised sites and infrastructure, supporting the Council’s strategic approach towards economic development.  The EDP project is required due to a lack of available modern buildings, obsolescence and a decrease of available floor space impacting on a variety of economic sectors.  The project will provide support to valleys communities through new business start-ups; the development of resilience in the early years of trading; access to new markets and supply chains and the provision of business premises for start-up and new businesses.  The proposed investment will take place in or near to wards of multiple deprivation, opening opportunities for business start-ups and re-locations for the communities of the Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore Valleys. 

The Corporate Director Communities reported on the proposed transport project bid to result in the rebuilding of the Penprysg road bridge, in order to accommodate two-way traffic leading to the eventual closure of Pencoed’s level railway crossing, and an all-new active travel bridge for pedestrians and cyclists.  She stated that the Pencoed level crossing is on the South Wales mainline railway as well as local Metro routes.  When in operation there is a resultant build-up of road traffic leading to significant congestion in the town centre.  The current alternative road bridge on Penprysg Road is a substandard single lane with limited pedestrian/active travel provision.  Due to these constraints, there is a longstanding moratorium on development west of the level crossing.  The plans will unlock potential development land located to the west of the current level crossing, enabling fresh investment and facilities to be introduced.  Once the level crossing is closed, the proposal also provides opportunity to enhance the public realm in and around the commercial area at the level crossing and to enhance the local environment.

The Corporate Director Communities outlined the financial implications for the development work of the three bids, for which, the Council has received £125,000 in development funding to support the bids.  She stated that each of the bids will have their own financial packages to be brought together and as the details of the development costs related to each project emerge following further feasibility and design work, each project will be seeking the support of partner organisations and other external funding sources to support the delivery of the projects.  The Corporate Director Communities informed Cabinet it will receive a further report in advance of the applications being submitted in May 2022 to consider and agree any further financial commitment from the authority relating to the three individual proposals. There were no existing financial commitments within the Council’s capital programme for the delivery of these three projects.

The Leader thanked officers for the work they had undertaken on these schemes in such a short time.  Meetings had taken place with the MPs who were very supportive of the schemes in their constituencies and that the transport project had significance not only for the County Borough, but regionally and nationally.  The Cabinet Member Education and Regeneration stated that the Penprysg road bridge project is truly strategic with significance for the whole of South Wales improving connectivity and thereby will improve economic activity.  He hoped that the UK Government would support this project and that the road bridge would be future proofed in the event of electrification of the railway west of Cardiff. 

The Cabinet Member Communities referred to the current consultation with businesses which he had been involved in on the Penprysg road bridge and asked how the wider infrastructure concerns raised during the consultation can be captured so that routes are linked up.  The Corporate Director Communities stated that it was vital for connectivity to work and it had been designed into the bid, with roads either side of the bridge, active travel and signage.  There would also be a need to look at public realm, the town square and parking and park and ride provision. 

The Leader stated that the Penprysg road bridge could allow the lifting of the moratorium on development and commented that the proposal is the single biggest engineering project the Councill will have undertaken.  He also stated that the Grand Pavilion project was vital to the visitor economy and the Enterprise Development Project significant to creating clusters of business, all projects will be undertaken with involvement with partners, such as the Welsh Government and Heritage Lottery Fund.

RESOLVED:            That Cabinet: 

·         Noted the overview and application process associated with the LUF.

·         Endorsed the projects proposed by officers to be developed in readiness for a future application round.

·         Delegated authority to the Director of Communities to utilise the LUF Capacity Grant to procure external support that would be needed for the production of bid/s to the fund and to utilise existing in-year resources in the Communities Directorate to procure required architectural and survey support for the Enterprise Development Programme.

·         Noted that the Director of Communities to liaise with the Section 151 Officer to consider how any additional commissioning costs could be funded if costs exceeded the estimated budget of £250,000 and available in-year resources within the Communities Directorate.

·         Agreed to receive a future report which set out a final package of projects to be submitted to the LUF including any further financial requirements to support those projects or                   bids.