COUNCILLORS will look into progress made at the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site due to Levelling Up funding.

An Employment, Business & Investment Scrutiny Committee will be held by Wrexham Council on Wednesday, December 6 to discuss updates on the site.

The Levelling Up funding was secured after the then Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £4.8b capital scheme for high value local infrastructure investment bringing together priorities of the Department for Transport, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government in March 2021.

The council submitted an application which supported the first phase of the implementation of the Trevor Basin Technical Masterplan.

A report explained that the council’s Executive Board approved submission of the bid on 8 June 2021. The Clwyd South bid was announced as being successful during the October 2021 Budget Statement and was awarded £13.3m in Levelling Up Fund grant towards a total value of just over £15m.

MOST READ: 

The report said: “Since announcement of the award, work has been underway to finalise all of the administrative requirements to enable commencement on site.

“Significant work has been undertaken to allow delivery and construction on the project to commence with several fully completed, such as Corwen Station canopy, additional footpaths and access points at Wenfrwdd and Llangollen and people counter at Chirk.

“The restoration of the JC Edwards wall on Llangollen Road will be on site within the coming months. Other construction projects are at an advance stage including the relocation of the boat hire company at Trevor Basin.”

It added: “The Levelling Up Project is considered to be Phase 1 of the wider delivery of the Trevor Basin Technical Masterplan, by ensuring that significant infrastructure to support visitor movement and connectivity is in place.

“This in turn, will create the conditions for further investment that will maximise the economic impact of the visitor economy in the County Borough and improve quality of life for local residents.”

It is recommended that members of the Committee formulate their conclusions and recommendations based on the information in the report and the discussion at the meeting.