Flintshire Council has progressed its bid to gain funding from the UK Government’s Levelling Up scheme for a host of ambitious projects.

The authority is looking to make £1.1m of its own cash available as it seeks to match-fund potential regeneration projects such as the redevelopment of Connah’s Quay Docks, the Greenfield Business Park and a refurb of the Clocktower in Sealand.

Flintshire Council’s Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny committee m­­eets next week to advise on whether to make those funds available, from the authority’s 2024/2025 capital programme.

In deciding where to ‘level up’ the UK Government has placed local authorities into categories 1, 2 or 3, depending on their identified level of need, with category 1 representing places deemed in most need of investment. Flintshire Council has been identified as a category 2 local authority.

After the authority was unsuccessful in round one of funding, round two opened in May with an early August deadline.

According to a report to the committee, Flintshire Council submitted a bid each for the Alyn and Deeside and Delyn constituencies, and in partnership with Transport for Wales, resubmitted an amended bid for investment in the Wrexham to Bidston railway line.

This attempt had been unsuccessful in round one but after feedback from the UK Government, a further bid has been made.

The Alyn and Deeside bid is for three projects:

The redevelopment of Connah’s Quay Docks and the construction of a new centre for the Sea Cadets;

Improving sports and community facilities at the former Corus Social Club site Shotton.

Renovating the Clocktower in Sealand.

A total of £16.231m has been requested from the UK Government with £594,000 match required from the council towards the Docks renovation only. Another £36,344 is required from the council towards the programme management costs.

The Delyn bid is for a single project to develop new industrial units on the Greenfield Business Park, the demolition of derelict units and the refurbishment of one tenanted unit.

A total of £14.64m has been requested from the UK Government with £440,000 required from the council, and another £36,344 needed for the programme management costs.

More detail on the bids is provided to members in the report which states: “The Alyn and Deeside bid includes council investment at Connah’s Quay Docks, a vital community, visitor and business resource.

“The Docks, which comprise the ‘modern’ dock infrastructure, the listed historic dock, and associated public realm, are largely in Council ownership.

“A masterplan has been developed to improve the Docks for businesses, local people and visitors.”

The report states that the project will:

Remove contaminated silt from the historic dock and restore it.

Improve the public area around the site to improve its appearance for visitors and businesses and improve security to reduce the problems of anti-social behaviour, crime and prostitution that occur.

Fully assess the condition of the modern dock and undertake needed stabilisation and improvement works to maintain integrity, improve security, promote business use and improve dockside management.

Create a new slipway facility for water users.

The total project cost is estimated as £8.28m and the Alyn and Deeside bid would require £630,000 of match funding from Flintshire Council.

The Delyn bid includes council investment at Greenfield Business Park which will:

Help to safeguard 438 skilled and secure jobs in one of Flintshire’s most deprived communities.

Create space for an estimated 194 new jobs to come to Greenfield.

Create new units with an estimated annual rental income of up to £300k.

The total project cost is estimated as £16.264m. The council would be required to provide £476,000 in match funding from the capital programme to secure this funding.

The council’s Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny meets on Tuesday (November 15) to discuss the funding proposal. As noted in the report to the committee, there is no timescale for when any approval would be given by the UK Government.