UK: Council seeks government funds for Barry Docks

The Vale of Glamorgan Council is to bid for £20 million of funding from the UK Government Levelling Up Fund to transform the Barry Docks waterfront.

The centrepiece of the plan is a new marina at the site known as the Mole. This would attract visitors and tourists to the town and serve as the catalyst for the next stage of the regeneration of the docks. The second part is the construction of a new, green, purpose-built watersports facility that would boost leisure opportunities and wider community use of the area, as well as giving the Ocean Watersports Trust a new home.
“This is the most ambitious plan for investment in Barry that has ever been produced,” said Cllr Lis Burnett, leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council. “The proposals would transform the old docks area and take Barry Waterfront to another level.”
“Most importantly, the bid is not just ambitious, it is coherent, deliverable and chimes with our aim to ensure that communities have the facilities and infrastructure they need,” she added. “The schemes within it have been developed to complement each other in attracting very different types of investment into the town. This will allow Barry to grow while also broadening what it offers to residents, visitors and investors alike.”
Simon Brown, divisional port manager for ABP Wales and South West, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Barry. We know there is a real desire to see a marina developed around the Mole and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to turn these plans and ambitions into a reality, creating jobs and attracting further investment along the way.”
The UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund is designed to ensure that opportunities are more consistent across the country by offering support to areas that are currently at a disadvantage. The government is seeking single large-scale bids from local authorities at short notice in order to support its levelling up agenda.