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It has been announced £14,835,600 has been awarded to regenerate Port Talbot town centre, with improvements to the town’s Civic Square, the refurbishment of the Princess Royal Theatre and improvements to green space at Riverside.

And a further £12,166,268 has been allocated to restore and reopen the Grade II listed Newbridge Road Bridge in the town to boost active travel locally and to improve local dock access and upgrade Newbridge Road and Riverside Road.

The Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Steve Hunt, has welcomed the cash injection.

He said: “I would like to thank all those at this council responsible for preparing these successful bids.

“The regeneration of Port Talbot town centre very much ties in with the Rainbow Coalition’s priorities in improving public spaces in our towns, valleys and villages.

“And the restoration of the Grade II listed bridge is in keeping with our culture strategy and the improvements to dock access and active travel are all very welcome.”

Cllr Jeremy Hurley, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Economic Growth, added: “This will have a positive impact on our local economy. The projects which will benefit will support economic recovery, through regeneration and growth.”

On Monday (20/11/23), seven projects in Wales were allocated £111m in total in the latest round of UK Levelling Up funding. The UK Government said the funding was designed to help create jobs, drive economic growth and spread equality to historically overlooked areas.

The Conservative UK government launched the Levelling Up fund under the previous prime minster Boris Johnson, inviting local authorities to make bids.