Ammanford
Ammanford
Ammanford, formerly known as Cross Inn is the third largest town in Carmarthenshire with a population of 5,400. The age profile for Ammanford is slightly younger than the average for Carmarthenshire. Deprivation and unemployment levels in Ammanford are slightly higher than Wales and Carmarthenshire averages. Despite the deprivation in the area the town continues to encourage a thriving community. The quiet rural settlement saw industrial change with the mining industry drawing in workers in the nineteenth century and today there is a sculpture in the town centre in memory of the miners and the town’s history. The town centre boasts a large number of independent businesses for both day and night time economy. Ammanford is a Guinness world record holder and has recently entered its 21st year as a Fair Trade town, the first to do so in Wales.
Ammanford
Ammanford, formerly known as Cross Inn is the third largest town in Carmarthenshire with a population of 5,400. The age profile for Ammanford is slightly younger than the average for Carmarthenshire. Deprivation and unemployment levels in Ammanford are slightly higher than Wales and Carmarthenshire averages. Despite the deprivation in the area the town continues to encourage a thriving community. The quiet rural settlement saw industrial change with the mining industry drawing in workers in the nineteenth century and today there is a sculpture in the town centre in memory of the miners and the town’s history. The town centre boasts a large number of independent businesses for both day and night time economy. Ammanford is a Guinness world record holder and has recently entered its 21st year as a Fair Trade town, the first to do so in Wales.
Ammanford Recovery Masterplan
This recovery masterplan was commissioned Ammanford Town Centre by Carmarthenshire County Council in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The masterplan reviews existing regeneration activity and provides a fresh focus on the priorities and the strategy for recovery and future growth.
- Focus on attracting local families and younger people through securing new leisure, education and cultural uses, to help broaden the range of activities and extend ‘dwell time’ and spend throughout the day and evening.
- Encourage the growth of the weekly market to include a greater number of stalls and new types of markets.
- Unify the disjointed areas of the town centre through better-quality highway design, pedestrian links and the redesign and animation of key open spaces.
- Safeguard viable businesses, cultivate new local enterprise and support independent businesses to locate and grow in the town centre.
- Establish a SMART town with businesses making best use of digital technology to grow their market reach, turnover and footfall.
- Using the towns natural ‘green & blue’ infrastructure to create a stronger sense of place and distinctiveness.
- Effectively communicate what the town centre has to offer to the local community and grow local loyalty and new custom.
Ammanford Recovery Masterplan
This recovery masterplan was commissioned Ammanford Town Centre by Carmarthenshire County Council in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The masterplan reviews existing regeneration activity and provides a fresh focus on the priorities and the strategy for recovery and future growth.
- Focus on attracting local families and younger people through securing new leisure, education and cultural uses, to help broaden the range of activities and extend ‘dwell time’ and spend throughout the day and evening.
- Encourage the growth of the weekly market to include a greater number of stalls and new types of markets.
- Unify the disjointed areas of the town centre through better-quality highway design, pedestrian links and the redesign and animation of key open spaces.
- Safeguard viable businesses, cultivate new local enterprise and support independent businesses to locate and grow in the town centre.
- Establish a SMART town with businesses making best use of digital technology to grow their market reach, turnover and footfall.
- Using the towns natural ‘green & blue’ infrastructure to create a stronger sense of place and distinctiveness.
- Effectively communicate what the town centre has to offer to the local community and grow local loyalty and new custom.
Funding
Refreshing Town Centre Fund - The funds are targeted at providing opportunities for organisations within Carmarthenshire’s Town Centre’s to add vibrancy to their shop fronts. £2,000 is available for each eligible property and is based on 80% of eligible project costs. Freeholders and leaseholders are eligible. Types of eligible spend include decoration of buildings, lighting, painting, gutter cleansing etc.
Business Start Up - The aim of the Start Up Fund is to support the creation of new businesses in the county, resulting directly in the creation of jobs, therefore improving the local economy. The grant is only available for prestart businesses (not yet trading). Each grant award will be based on 50% of eligible costs OR a maximum of £5000 per job created whichever is the lesser.
Business Growth - The grant will support local businesses and inward investors to grow, prosper and be sustainable. Grants are available between £1,000 to £10,000. Each grant award will be based on 50% of eligible costs OR a maximum of £5000 per job created whichever is the lesser.
Business Renewable Energy Fund – Following a pilot roll-out of the Carmarthenshire Business Renewable Energy Fund, Carmarthenshire County Council will be delivering a second phase of the scheme to be funded by the UK Government via the Shared Prosperity Fund. The Fund will be a business grant scheme, which will provide capital support to businesses towards the purchase of renewable energy systems for their business premises. Grants are available between £1,000 (minimum) and £25,000 (maximum) towards the cost of the renewable energy system. Each grant award will be based on no more than 50% of eligible cost.
Town Centre Loan - The objective of the Town Centre Loan scheme is to incentivise and enable property refurbishment and new builds in all the town centres in Carmarthenshire. An Interest free loan between £25,000 and £1,000,000 is on offer.
Local Development Order (LDO) - The LDO acknowledges a shifting role for the town centre to that of a destination and living environment as well as a retail centre. It seeks to introduce a permissive planning regime that would allow specified changes of use to take place without the applicant having to apply for planning permission.
Funding
Refreshing Town Centre Fund - The funds are targeted at providing opportunities for organisations within Carmarthenshire’s Town Centre’s to add vibrancy to their shop fronts. £2,000 is available for each eligible property and is based on 80% of eligible project costs. Freeholders and leaseholders are eligible. Types of eligible spend include decoration of buildings, lighting, painting, gutter cleansing etc.
Business Start Up - The aim of the Start Up Fund is to support the creation of new businesses in the county, resulting directly in the creation of jobs, therefore improving the local economy. The grant is only available for prestart businesses (not yet trading). Each grant award will be based on 50% of eligible costs OR a maximum of £5000 per job created whichever is the lesser.
Business Growth - The grant will support local businesses and inward investors to grow, prosper and be sustainable. Grants are available between £1,000 to £10,000. Each grant award will be based on 50% of eligible costs OR a maximum of £5000 per job created whichever is the lesser.
Business Renewable Energy Fund – Following a pilot roll-out of the Carmarthenshire Business Renewable Energy Fund, Carmarthenshire County Council will be delivering a second phase of the scheme to be funded by the UK Government via the Shared Prosperity Fund. The Fund will be a business grant scheme, which will provide capital support to businesses towards the purchase of renewable energy systems for their business premises. Grants are available between £1,000 (minimum) and £25,000 (maximum) towards the cost of the renewable energy system. Each grant award will be based on no more than 50% of eligible cost.
Town Centre Loan - The objective of the Town Centre Loan scheme is to incentivise and enable property refurbishment and new builds in all the town centres in Carmarthenshire. An Interest free loan between £25,000 and £1,000,000 is on offer.
Local Development Order (LDO) - The LDO acknowledges a shifting role for the town centre to that of a destination and living environment as well as a retail centre. It seeks to introduce a permissive planning regime that would allow specified changes of use to take place without the applicant having to apply for planning permission.
Vacant Properties
Carmarthenshire County Council currently don’t have any properties within Ammanford town centre available for lease, please check with us in the future for updates and availabilities. See the full list of Council properties for lease across the county here.
Vacant Properties
Carmarthenshire County Council currently don’t have any properties within Ammanford town centre available for lease, please check with us in the future for updates and availabilities. See the full list of Council properties for lease across the county here.
Carmarthenshire County Council Officer Contact Details
If you would like to get in touch with the authority regarding Ammanford Town Centre please feel free to contact our officers that cover the centre and they will be more than happy to help:
Cerys Jordan (Economic Development Officer: Town Centres): CerJordan@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
James Gibbings (Economic Development Officer SPF Town Centres): JGibbings@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Luke Milward (Ammanford & Carmarthen Town Centre Co-ordinator): LMilward@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Carmarthenshire County Council Officer Contact Details
If you would like to get in touch with the authority regarding Ammanford Town Centre please feel free to contact our officers that cover the centre and they will be more than happy to help:
Cerys Jordan (Economic Development Officer: Town Centres): CerJordan@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
James Gibbings (Economic Development Officer SPF Town Centres): JGibbings@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Luke Milward (Ammanford & Carmarthen Town Centre Co-ordinator): LMilward@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
