Neath Port Talbot Council has been awarded £28.4 million worth of  Shared Prosperity Funding this year, they say they will use to fund five ‘anchor projects’ that will take place across the borough.

The fund has been awarded as part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up project, which is set to provide £2.6bn worth of funding for local investment across Britain by March of 2025.

The proposed anchor projects in Neath Port Talbot will filter through a number areas that include the headings of Place, Valleys and Villages, Sustainable Communities, Enhanced Business Support for Growth Innovation, and Employability.

Projects such as the Aberavon Seafront Masterplan, a Neath Port Talbot Heritage, Culture and Tourism Fund, and a marketing campaign to raise the profile of Neath Port Talbot as a  visitor destination will all be included under some of these proposed headings.

There will also be a £1m third sector growth fund to provide support for voluntary organisations and social enterprises, and a £1m sustainable communities growth fund to increase the level of support offered to the communities of Neath Port Talbot.

A £2m grant fund will also be set up for for eligible projects in areas such as commercial property, green infrastructure, town centre markets, and the development of active travel and leisure and recreational facilities.

Cllr Martyn Peters said: “These projects reflect the priorities of the Rainbow Coalition particularly when it comes to place and improving the quality of life in our towns, valleys and villages, and we look forward to working with our partners to implement these schemes throughout the county borough.”