Fresh vision and leader for £20m Rhyl regen
Craig Sparrow, executive director of property and development at ClwydAlyn, has been appointed independent chair of the Rhyl Neighbourhood Board and will lead the group developing the seaside resort’s renaissance strategy.
The £20m regeneration plan, known as Ein Rhyl, intends to boost employment, improve infrastructure, and contribute to national growth ambitions.
According to the Rhyl Town Centre Vision, which the board aims to enact over the next 10 years, the biggest challenges for the town are the decline in retail, economic inequality, a loss of identity as a Victorian seaside destination, and a lack of attention to the beach and seafront.
A public realm reset, a redesign of the area of highway between the town centre and the seafront to simplify its layout, and the instalment of active travel routes are all under consideration.
In addition, the Queen’s Market buildings and former Savoy Hotel sites have been identified as a potential catalyst for change in the centre of Rhyl.
Proposals for a contemporary market, the development of retail and F&B offers, and the building of residential and office space have been suggested.
It is hoped the site will increase footfall in the area and provide better access to the seafront.
Cash for the £20m transformation will be received from the government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods programme.
The board will develop a 10-year vision for the town and an initial investment plan to determine priorities.
Residents, business owners, politicians, council officers, and grassroots campaigners will all contribute to Ein Rhyl, implementing a long-term shared vision.
Craig Sparrow said he is “privileged” to be in the lead role and believes locals have “grown tired” of negativity around the town.
He said: “Some big decisions will be made, and I feel as a group we are well placed to make them.
“It is important people remember our role and that this is not a £20m handout being discussed by a talk shop.”
He added that as chair, he will ensure the team is “laser-focused” on objectives to “reframe the outlook for Rhyl”.
Craig Sparrow said he is “privileged” to lead the neighbourhood board. Credit: via Radar PR
Sparrow continued: “Pockets of Rhyl have so much potential … it’s about looking to the future, not recapturing the past, with accessibility and convenience so important.
“I would be particularly keen to repurpose areas of the town centre and do something different, seek best practice from high streets and vibrant urban areas and not just rely on retail but on high-quality food and drink, entertainment and hospitality, because there is an appetite for more of these things locally.”
He added that the board would be conducting surveys and focus groups during the coming months.
Rhyl is in an advanced state of decay like many other seaside towns in the UK. No seaside resort in Europe is as dilapidated as Rhyl, Blackpool and other seaside towns in the UK. What the town needs is not just a cosmetic facelift but an entire re-build. A masterplan
for a new town. A resort that would resemble a seaside town in France like Deauville.
By John