Swansea neighbourhood handed £20m boost as MP urges residents to shape decade of investment

The funding, confirmed today, will focus on the communities north of Swansea railway station — stretching through High Street, Brynmelyn, Waun Wen, North Hill and Hafod. The area, used daily by thousands travelling in and out of the city, has long been identified as one of Swansea’s most overlooked corridors.

MP: ‘This area is too often forgotten’

Torsten Bell, MP for Swansea West, welcomed the announcement and said the decade‑long investment must be shaped by the people who live there. He has launched a public survey asking residents to set the priorities for the scheme.

“Swansea is making real progress,” he said. “Our city centre is seeing landmarks renewed and new buildings open, from the Albert Hall to the new Y Storfa. And today’s confirmation of £20m investment in the neighbourhoods north of the train station will make sure an area, that thousands travel through every day but is too often forgotten, is part of this progress.”

He said the funding would “make a real difference” and urged residents to take part in the consultation.

What the money will target

The £20m comes from the Pride in Place programme — a £180m, 10‑year regeneration fund for communities across Wales. The scheme is designed to give local people a direct say in tackling issues that have blighted their neighbourhoods, from run‑down high streets to graffiti, vandalism and the loss of community facilities.

Alongside the main investment, Swansea will also receive a share of £34.5m in capital funding to improve public spaces across the city. That includes repairing broken bus shelters, reopening park toilets and upgrading other neglected infrastructure.

Residents asked to set priorities

The MP’s survey — available on his website — asks people to identify the problems they want fixed first. Early suggestions include improving lighting and safety on key walking routes, restoring community buildings, and tackling long‑standing fly‑tipping hotspots.

The funding will be rolled out over the next decade, with decisions expected to be made in phases.

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Llanelli handed £20m lifeline as decade‑long regeneration drive targets town’s most deprived communities

Tyisha, Glanymor and Llanelli town centre will share the cash over the next decade in what ministers say is a bid to “rebuild community pride” and help neighbourhoods that have been left behind.

The area — home to nearly 14,000 people — ranks among the 20% most deprived in Wales, with Tyisha 1 listed as the sixth most deprived neighbourhood in Wales for community safety. Deprivation is also high across income, employment, health and education.

‘People here have been ignored for too long’

Dame Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli, said: “I am pleased to have been able to secure this additional £20m of long‑term investment for Llanelli which these communities can now use to address issues that they raise with me day‑in, day‑out.

“It will be for the people who live there to decide how this money will be spent, based on what they feel is most important — whether it be improving the places that their families live, work and grow up in, supporting better local facilities and community organisations, helping people access skills and training or making our streets safer, cleaner and more welcoming.”

She said residents had been “overlooked for far too long” and needed a fair deal that reflected their priorities, not someone else’s.

New Neighbourhood Board to take control

A new Neighbourhood Board will now be created to oversee the project. It will include Carmarthenshire Council representatives, Dame Nia Griffith, local residents, community leaders and businesses.

Griffith urged people to get involved. “I can’t stress enough how important it will be for everyone living and working in these areas — as well as the wider Llanelli community who want to help revive our town centre — to make their voices heard over the next few months,” she said.

“I will be insisting residents are involved in the decision‑making process throughout so that it properly reflects their needs and delivers the improvements and the fair deal they rightfully deserve.”

Crime, deprivation and a town centre in decline

The targeted area includes Tyisha, the core of Glanymor and Llanelli town centre — a stretch long associated with anti‑social behaviour, empty units and stalled regeneration schemes.

Officials say the town centre remains the “functional economic area” for the wider community, linking key regeneration sites including the route to Pentre Awel via Llanelli railway station.

The funding is expected to focus on community safety, cleaner streets, better facilities, skills and training, and support for local organisations — but the final priorities will be set by residents.

Part of a wider regional funding battle

The £20m for Llanelli comes from the UK Government’s Pride in Place scheme — a nationwide programme aimed at reviving struggling neighbourhoods and restoring pride in local communities. But across South West Wales, the rollout has already sparked fierce debate over how the money should be carved up and who gets to decide where it goes.

In Neath Port Talbot, councillors have backed a decade‑long regeneration plan for the Upper Afan Valley, while Carmarthenshire’s allocation has triggered political clashes over transparency and control. Swansea MPs have also warned that Pride in Place funding must be shaped by residents, not handed down from above, with calls for open decision‑making and clear priorities.

Against that backdrop, Llanelli’s £20m package becomes the latest test of whether the decade‑long programme can deliver real change — and whether local people will genuinely be put in charge.

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Clash over £20m Carmarthenshire ‘Pride of Place’ funding

The county is set to receive up to £20 million over the next decade as part of the UK Government’s Pride of Place programme, which will channel £214 million into Wales to support high streets, community facilities and regeneration projects.

Labour: “Real money for real communities”

Cllr Cundy, leader of the Labour opposition group on Carmarthenshire Council, said the funding equated to £100 per resident over ten years and represented a major boost after years of austerity.

“This is fair and transparent — real money for real communities, funding that can revitalise high streets, improve local facilities, and support both rural villages and town centres,” he said.

He accused Plaid Cymru of “choosing grievance over growth”:

“Instead of welcoming help for Welsh people, Plaid prefer to complain. After more than a decade in charge of Carmarthenshire, Plaid Cymru seem quicker to complain than to deliver.”

Cllr Cundy stressed that it would be for the Plaid‑led administration to decide which areas benefit:

“Within the rules of the scheme, they have the chance to prioritise deprived villages, struggling town centres, or regeneration hotspots. If impoverished rural areas are left behind, that will be the result of Plaid’s choices locally — not Labour’s investment nationally.”

He added:

“Carmarthenshire alone will receive around £2 million a year, equal to £10 for every resident. Labour’s priority is simple: uniting Wales through investment, not playing politics with people’s futures. Because as the saying goes: you can’t spend a grievance in the corner shop — but you can spend £2 million a year improving Carmarthenshire.”

Plaid: “Disregard for rural communities”

But council leader Darren Price has joined fellow Plaid leaders from Ceredigion, Gwynedd and Anglesey in criticising the scheme’s design.

In their joint statement, they said:

“Any funding for communities across Wales is welcome, but it is clear this does not stem from an understanding of Wales’ needs. It is a political panic button pushed by Labour ahead of a difficult election.”

They argued that targeting investment zones of around 10,000 people would disadvantage rural areas:

“This Pride in Place programme specifically targets neighbourhoods with populations of around 10,000, of which there are only a handful in the four western local authorities we control. This approach highlights the Labour Government’s continued disregard for our rural communities that have been disproportionately underfunded over the years.”

The Plaid leaders added:

“The people of Wales can see through this. Labour has deserted its values and turned its back on promises to deliver fair funding for Welsh communities.”

Political stakes

The clash reflects wider tensions between Labour and Plaid over how regeneration money is distributed. Labour points to what it calls the “biggest Welsh Government budget settlement ever” and insists the Pride of Place scheme is about fairness and delivery. Plaid counters that the funding model is urban‑centric, leaving smaller villages at risk of being overlooked.

With Carmarthenshire Council responsible for drawing up the shortlist of communities, and the UK Government holding the final sign‑off, both parties are already positioning themselves to claim credit — or deflect blame — once the allocations are announced.

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‘Transformational for our communities’: South West Wales MPs react to £214m Pride in Place funding

While Labour MPs hailed the investment as “transformational” and a “once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity”, opposition councillors in Bridgend voiced frustration that their county had received far less than neighbouring areas.

Swansea

Torsten Bell, MP for Swansea West, said:

“We have won something rare – a massive, over £20 million, long‑term investment in Swansea. This is our chance for people to get involved in improving our city, from regenerating our city centre to boosting all our high streets.”

Tonia Antoniazzi, MP for Gower, added:

“Local people know their area better than anyone else and that is why the government has decided to do this differently. This is our chance to improve our area by making the big decisions for ourselves.”

Council leader Rob Stewart also welcomed the funding, describing it as “great to see this investment coming to Swansea” and urging that Wales must not be left worse off after Brexit.

Neath Port Talbot

Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg, said the £20m for Neath Port Talbot was:

“A once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to invest in our communities. It will be up to all of us to decide how exactly this money is spent – not politicians in London, but local residents, right here in Aberafan Maesteg.”

Carmarthenshire

Dame Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli, welcomed the £20m for Carmarthenshire, saying:

“This £20 million of new funding will change lives over the next decade and be spent where local people need it most. Local people know their area better than anyone else and that is why the UK Labour Government has decided to do this differently.”

Pembrokeshire

Henry Tuffnell, MP for Mid & South Pembrokeshire, highlighted the £1.5m allocation as:

“A valuable boost for regenerating our local areas, and I’ll be working with Pembrokeshire County Council to make sure that money is used in the best way possible for our community.”

Bridgend

Chris Elmore, MP for Bridgend, announced:

“£3 million from the UK Labour Government for our communities – and you get to help decide how it’s spent. This is a huge opportunity to shape the future of Bridgend and Porthcawl together.”

But the award has drawn criticism locally.

Independent councillor Steven Bletsoe said:

“£3m is very welcome investment into our town centres and that money needs to be wisely spent. But how on earth are we getting eight times less than Aberavon and Maesteg? I simply cannot comprehend this.”

A spokesperson for the Bridgend Independent Group added:

“Of course we welcome an additional £3m but once again Bridgend gets treated less favourably than our neighbours. Maybe our MP should spend less time having photos taken and more time fighting for his constituency.”

#AberafanMaesteg #Bridgend #ChrisElmoreMP #CllrRobStewart #CllrStevenBletsoe #HenryTufnellMP #Llanelli #NiaGriffithMP #Pembrokeshire #PrideInPlace #PrideInPlaceFund #PrideInPlaceImpactFund #StephenKinnockMP #Swansea #ToniaAntoniazziMP #TorstenBell #UKGovernment

South West Wales to share in £214m Pride in Place investment for local projects

Swansea is set to receive £20 million over the next decade as part of a new UK Government programme that puts local people in charge of how money is spent on their communities.

The Pride in Place fund, announced today by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, will see nine areas across Wales each receive up to £20m, alongside a further £34.5m shared between every local authority in the country.

Swansea: £20m over ten years

Swansea is one of the areas chosen for the full £20m allocation. Local MP Tonia Antoniazzi said the funding – £2m a year for ten years – was a “massive investment” that would be decided by residents themselves.

“Local people know their area better than anyone else and that is why the government has decided to do this differently,” she said. “This is our chance to improve our area by making the big decisions for ourselves – not by letting other people make decisions for us.”

A local board will be set up to coordinate the project, with residents invited to submit ideas ranging from park improvements to bringing empty buildings back into use.

Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire also in line for £20m

Neighbouring Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire are also among the nine areas selected for the full £20m allocation.

Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg, said the £20m for Neath Port Talbot was “a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity” and stressed:

“It will be up to all of us to decide how exactly this money is spent – not politicians in London, but local residents, right here in Aberafan Maesteg.”

Dame Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli, welcomed the £20m for Carmarthenshire, saying:

“This £20 million of new funding will change lives over the next decade and be spent where local people need it most. Local people know their area better than anyone else and that is why the UK Labour Government has decided to do this differently.”

Bridgend: £3m as ‘most in need’

Bridgend Council will receive £3m from the Pride in Place Impact Fund – double the £1.5m given to most other authorities – after being identified as the local authority most in need.

Pembrokeshire: £1.5m

Pembrokeshire will receive £1.5m from the same impact fund, earmarked for improvements to public spaces such as bus shelters, park toilets, bins and leisure centres.

Henry Tuffnell, MP for Mid & South Pembrokeshire, highlighted the £1.5m allocation as:

“A valuable boost for regenerating our local areas, and I’ll be working with Pembrokeshire County Council to make sure that money is used in the best way possible for our community.”

💷 Pride in Place funding – South West Wales

• Swansea: £20m (main fund) + £1.5m (impact fund) = £21.5m
• Neath Port Talbot: £20m (main fund) + £1.5m (impact fund) = £21.5m
• Carmarthenshire: £20m (main fund) + £1.5m (impact fund) = £21.5m
• Bridgend: £3m (impact fund – identified as most in need)
• Pembrokeshire: £1.5m (impact fund)

Total new investment across these five counties: £69m

UK Government: ‘Communities in control’

The UK Government says the programme is about giving local people the power to decide how money is spent.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

“This is a huge investment, but what matters most is who decides how it’s spent: the neighbours, volunteers and parents who know their communities best.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added:

“More than £200 million of new investment will see improvements made to communities up and down Wales making them even greater places to live and work.”

Wider context

The Pride in Place programme builds on previous regeneration schemes, taking total UK Government funding for Welsh communities to more than £300m. It will run alongside Welsh Government initiatives such as Transforming Towns and Placemaking.

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#grantFunding #PrideInPlace #PrideInPlaceFund #PrideInPlaceImpactFund #ToniaAntoniazziMP #UKGovernment