Carmarthen
Carmarthen
Believed to be the oldest town in Wales, the market town of Carmarthen sits on the River Towy, one of the longest rivers in Wales. With a population of 9,100, the majority of the age population falls into the 30-45 age group. Deprivation and unemployment levels are similar to the Wales and Carmarthenshire averages. A Market town that’s proud of its ability to fuse the historic with the modern, meaning that it can compete as a large shopping attraction, while continuing to nod towards a past full of intrigue, uproar and myth. According to Welsh legend, Carmarthen is believed to be the birthplace of the famous wizard Merlin, who plays a significant role in Arthurian mythology and with a castle that was captured by Llywelyn the Great and Owain Glyndŵr, Carmarthen sits prominently on any historical map. Carmarthen has a bustling market that has been operating for centuries, offering a variety of goods, including local produce, crafts, and antiques. With a mix of small shops, chain stores, cinema, theatre, hotels and restaurants Carmarthen is a great place to shop, dine out and stay.
Carmarthen
Believed to be the oldest town in Wales, the market town of Carmarthen sits on the River Towy, one of the longest rivers in Wales. With a population of 9,100, the majority of the age population falls into the 30-45 age group. Deprivation and unemployment levels are similar to the Wales and Carmarthenshire averages. A Market town that’s proud of its ability to fuse the historic with the modern, meaning that it can compete as a large shopping attraction, while continuing to nod towards a past full of intrigue, uproar and myth. According to Welsh legend, Carmarthen is believed to be the birthplace of the famous wizard Merlin, who plays a significant role in Arthurian mythology and with a castle that was captured by Llywelyn the Great and Owain Glyndŵr, Carmarthen sits prominently on any historical map. Carmarthen has a bustling market that has been operating for centuries, offering a variety of goods, including local produce, crafts, and antiques. With a mix of small shops, chain stores, cinema, theatre, hotels and restaurants Carmarthen is a great place to shop, dine out and stay.
Carmarthen Recovery Masterplan
This recovery masterplan has been commissioned for Carmarthen town centre by Carmarthenshire County Council (Carmarthenshire CC) 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.
- Safeguard, protect and strengthen the regional role of Carmarthen town centre as a destination for retail, leisure, hospitality, culture, employment, education and residential.
- Concentrate activity on the central core to avoid ‘hollowing out’ and maximise opportunities for a greater mix of uses through the reuse and re-purposing of empty and underused buildings in an area undergoing significant change.
- Support and encourage small and independent businesses to develop, grow and expand in the town centre.
- Expand the public sector presence in the town centre, including opportunities to deliver new service provision (health and well-being, leisure, local services/advice hwb, residential) and collaboration with third sector organisations, to generate footfall ‘anchors’ and utilise empty premises.
- Encourage the growth of the outdoor market to include a greater number of stalls and potential for a new theme/style of markets.
- Ensure improvements to the quality of outdoor spaces, especially Jacksons Lane, to deliver a safe, attractive, inviting and stimulating town centre environment that supports the hospitality sector and evening economy.
- Improve pedestrian and cycle linkages throughout the town centre, many of which are of poor quality.
- Establish a SMART town with businesses making best use of digital to grow their market reach, turnover and footfall.
- Initiatives that ensure a range of stakeholders are involved in delivering improvements for the town centre.
- Support for the use and promotion of the Welsh language and culture
Carmarthen Recovery Masterplan
This recovery masterplan has been commissioned for Carmarthen town centre by Carmarthenshire County Council (Carmarthenshire CC) 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.
- Safeguard, protect and strengthen the regional role of Carmarthen town centre as a destination for retail, leisure, hospitality, culture, employment, education and residential.
- Concentrate activity on the central core to avoid ‘hollowing out’ and maximise opportunities for a greater mix of uses through the reuse and re-purposing of empty and underused buildings in an area undergoing significant change.
- Support and encourage small and independent businesses to develop, grow and expand in the town centre.
- Expand the public sector presence in the town centre, including opportunities to deliver new service provision (health and well-being, leisure, local services/advice hwb, residential) and collaboration with third sector organisations, to generate footfall ‘anchors’ and utilise empty premises.
- Encourage the growth of the outdoor market to include a greater number of stalls and potential for a new theme/style of markets.
- Ensure improvements to the quality of outdoor spaces, especially Jacksons Lane, to deliver a safe, attractive, inviting and stimulating town centre environment that supports the hospitality sector and evening economy.
- Improve pedestrian and cycle linkages throughout the town centre, many of which are of poor quality.
- Establish a SMART town with businesses making best use of digital to grow their market reach, turnover and footfall.
- Initiatives that ensure a range of stakeholders are involved in delivering improvements for the town centre.
- Support for the use and promotion of the Welsh language and culture
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.
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.
Vacant Property Fund - The funding will be made available to owners / lease holders and is focused on bringing ground floor vacant properties back into commercial use. The minimum fund awarded £5,000 whilst the maximum will be £30,000 with an intervention rate of 70%.
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.
Vacant Property Fund - The funding will be made available to owners / lease holders and is focused on bringing ground floor vacant properties back into commercial use. The minimum fund awarded £5,000 whilst the maximum will be £30,000 with an intervention rate of 70%.
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.
Carmarthenshire County Council Officer Contact Details
If you would like to get in touch with the authority regarding Carmarthen Town Centre please feel free to contact our officers that cover the centre and they will be more than happy to help:
Jayne Hancock, Economic Development Officer Town Centre: JHancock@carmaarthenshire.gov.uk
Aled Westlake (Economic Development Officer SPF Town Centres: AWestlake@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 Carmarthen Town Centre please feel free to contact our officers that cover the centre and they will be more than happy to help:
Jayne Hancock, Economic Development Officer Town Centre: JHancock@carmaarthenshire.gov.uk
Aled Westlake (Economic Development Officer SPF Town Centres: AWestlake@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Luke Milward (Ammanford & Carmarthen Town Centre Co-ordinator): LMilward@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
