Wrexham Council look to give new Kop multi million pound kick start as part of Gateway project

Wrexham Council is set to approve a seven figure commitment to the regeneration of the Racecourse as part of the ‘Wrexham Gateway’ project, with a hope it will demonstrate that a £18.2m ‘Levelling Up’ bid to UK Government is cast iron in its deliverability.

The multi million pound Wrexham Gateway project is intended to see the regeneration of the Mold Road corridor “creating better connected bus and rail transport, a route into the town centre that gives a great first impression to visitors and an improved events football ground and regional and national venue at the Racecourse stadium”.

Wrexham Council have been stressing the ‘partnership’ working behind delivering the vision with Wrexham Council, Welsh Government, Wrexham Glyndwr University, the Football Association for Wales, Transport for Wales, Wrexham AFC – and hopefully UK Government all pulling together.

The overall Gateway project is estimated to require a total investment of around £80-£90 million with estimated public sector subsidies of between £40 and £45 million.

The ‘Gateway’ site has been split roughly into two sections, the eastern section which will see an integrated transport hub as part of an improved Wrexham General station with possible redevelopment of the builders merchants yard and potentially the sorting office site to include 150 apartments and retail space.

The western side of the railway sees one of the most substantial projects being the redevelopment of the long derelict Kop stand at the Racecourse and surrounding land, alongside or incorporating an exhibition facility and a four-star standard hotel.

The ambition for the Kop is to build a new large stand along with enhancing the stadium to enable it to attract top level competitive international standard sport, with UEFA requirements seen as a benchmark to that aim. The FAW have now been confirmed as a formal partner, noting a commitment to bring the full spectrum of international football to the Racecourse ‘on a regular basis’ – if the stadium is up to it. (As we have previously reported, could this be Wales v Scotland?)

The council have already secured a non-repayable grant of £25 million from the Welsh Government towards the Gateway, however were unsuccessful in a recent £18.2m ‘Levelling Up’ bid to the UK Government.

A second application will be made for the £18.2m with it being seen as key to delivering the current programme scope, and if it failed again it is as yet unknown what would be trimmed from the overall vision.

The Levelling Up funding has been described as a time limited pot of cash, to deliver specific projects inside a firm timeframe. Thus a deliverable plan effectively already underway is hoped to be seen as more attractive to UK Government to fund rather than something more fuzzy or convoluted.

We are told Wrexham’s Kop project is unusual as it requires a site clearance before a build can take place, and with the stadium operational during the football season certain works can only be done when the team is not playing. This creates what was described to Wrexham.com as a ‘challenging window of opportunity’, with concern that if timescales are to be met things need to start progressing soon – however the UK Government funding is not yet in place.

Publicly Wrexham Council have said: “The Council and partners are committing to funding early expenditure on key elements of work that enable the bid to be delivered. More information will shared on these as they are developed and approved”. The council added, “Because of the many complexities of the partnership and individual commercial sensitivities and interests that the Council is not involved with the report is confidential” and so the details of the ‘early expenditure on key elements of work’ is not known.

Wrexham.com understands it could take the form of a multi million pound ‘kick start’ of the Kop element of the project from Wrexham Council, funded from the £25m allocated by Welsh Government and with their blessing.

In practice this will fund the site clearance, including the removal of the Kop stand, and meaning if and when the UK Government Levelling Up fund is allocated the project will be well on track and deliverable.

The Football Club could look to acquire the freehold to the Racecourse in the coming months, with a planning application due later this year. The Kop could be cleared early next year with work on a new stand commencing in the second quarter of 2023 – and as we have previously reported completed ready for the 2023-24 season.

Wrexham.com asked Wrexham Council Chief Executive Ian Bancroft about project update, and was told how the ‘funding early expenditure’ could be vital to avoid part of the project being lost, “The aim is to increase deliverability of those elements in terms of the Levelling Up bid. One of the key considerations for the Levelling Up fund is the money has to be spent by March 2024 no matter which round you’re in.

“So if you are successful in the first round, you had a longer period to spend. So if you’re successful in the second round you have a shorter window. So our concern is that if we don’t start works in advance of the actual success of any bid, we may not be able to complete them.

“So that’s the importance of starting delivery on the western side of the gateway in advance of knowing the outcome of the bid, because otherwise there’s a danger we won’t be able to complete what we bid for. Deliverability will increase the chances of success of the scheme.”

We asked what would happen if the Levelling Up bid was unsuccessful again, leaving the council having prepaid banking on success, Mr Bancroft said: “There are a number of options for what may happen with funding over the next nine months and we’re constantly assessing those in terms of what that means for our options and deliverability.

“It is really important with this project in terms of scanning the horizon and thinking about what will happen if we’re not successful. So all that planning is going on in the background in terms of keeping all our options open at this stage.

“The key is to make sure that in an ideal world, if we’re successful with this, we’ve got money to both deliver the eastern side, the train station, the western side, the Kop and associated facilities.”

We also asked over the appropriateness of Wrexham Council using public money to part fund an improvement to what will likely be a private asset, noting the wealthy new owners of the football club who are happy to pay mega-bucks-for-the-league six figure sums on players.

Mr Bancroft replied: “I think the line on this for us has always been really, really clear that in essence, there are two elements to the investment into the western side.

“One is enhancing the ground for the football club, and that is obviously why the football club are a partner – and a funding partner.

“The second is bringing that ground up to international standard as the oldest international football ground in the world, as an events stadium for North Wales. It’s those elements that we want to invest in, in terms of public funding.

“I think that balance of private funding going into a private interest and public funding going into what is publicly really important facilities, that’s the balance that we get right. It is absolutely critical, and it’s appropriate with that balance of private and public funding.”

Mr Bancroft detailed how the rejection feedback on the first Levelling Up bid praised the strategic and ‘value for money’ elements of the bid, but raised concerns around deliverability, effectively triggering this move, “So that’s the feedback, and that’s why we’re focusing on the deliverability aspects”.

Aside from the council the full range of partners commented on the move, with Steve Williams, President of the FAW stated, “FAW is excited to be now formally involved in the project and will work with partners to ensure facilities are improved to a standard that means we can on a regular basis bring men’s, women’s and youth international football to the Racecourse Ground.”

Humphrey Ker, Executive Director on behalf of Wrexham AFC said, “The Club’s mission statement is clear in that we want to improve the Racecourse Ground to a standard where we can regularly host International Matches/Events for the benefit of both Wrexham AFC and the sport loving public of North Wales.

“This partnership has the opportunity to turn this ambition into reality and we are committed to playing a full part in achieving this.”

Wrexham’s Member of the Senedd, Lesley Griffiths said: “A number have partners have worked hard to get to this stage and I am pleased the Welsh Government committed significant funds to the development last year.

“The Gateway Project has the potential to transform the town and I will do all I can to ensure it comes to fruition.”

MP Sarah Atherton said, “I am delighted with the progress that is being made on the Wrexham Gateway project, which is so critical to Wrexham and will be welcomed by many across the town.

“The UK Government is committed to making sure that communities around the country have the opportunity to change and grow and I will be banging the drum in Westminster for our town to make sure this project gets the funding it deserves.”

The Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee met yesterday behind closed doors to discuss “Wrexham Gateway – Delivery Plan”, with the outcome of that meeting expected to be before the Executive Board meeting next week. Due to the “Part 2” secret nature of the report, no details have yet been released, nor the recommendations from the committee.

The full statement from Wrexham Council is copied below:

On Tuesday February 8, 2022, Executive Board will receive a report on progress about the exciting plans for the Wrexham Gateway.

The multi million pound Wrexham Gateway project will see the regeneration of the Mold Road corridor creating better connected bus and rail transport, a route into the town centre that gives a great first impression to visitors and an improved events football ground and regional and national venue at the Racecourse stadium.

Partners include ourselves, Welsh Government, Glyndwr University, the Football Association for Wales, Transport for Wales and Wrexham AFC.

Because of the many complexities of the partnership and individual commercial sensitivities and interests that the Council is not involved with the report is confidential. But we’re keen to share with the public an update on the progress of the Project.

The Masterplan identifies a total of investment of around £80-£90 million with estimated public sector subsidies of between £40 and £45 million.

Funding of £25 million has been secured from Welsh Government for the eastern side of the site to redevelop the site around the Wrexham General station, including commercial development and upgrades to the civic and amenity spaces.

It is now hoped that a second bid to the UK Governments Levelling Up Fund later this year will secure funding for the western side – the Racecourse Ground – to ensure it not only meets the requirements of the football club in the future but also to ensure it is of a standard to host international matches. The funding will also include proposals to develop the areas around the ground for an improved event experience.

All partners are committed to the next steps and ensuring the second round bid demonstrates the unique cultural regeneration of the oldest international football ground in the world and the deliverability of the project.

To this end the Council and partners are committing to funding early expenditure on key elements of work that enable the bid to be delivered. More information will shared on these as they are developed and approved.

Cllr Mark Pritchard Leader of the Council and on behalf of Wrexham Gateway Partners stated, “The decisions at Executive Board will allow progress of work on the western side of the Wrexham Gateway which will improved deliverability of the project for funding bids.

“It is great to see the commitment from all partners in particular Wrexham AFC to the next steps and FAW commitment to the future of international competitive football.”

Steve Williams, President of the FAW stated, “FAW is excited to be now formally involved in the project and will work with partners to ensure facilities are improved to a standard that means we can on a regular basis bring men’s, women’s and youth international football to the Racecourse Ground.”

Humphrey Ker, Executive Director on behalf of Wrexham AFC stated, “The Club’s mission statement is clear in that we want to improve the Racecourse Ground to a standard where we can regularly host International Matches/Events for the benefit of both Wrexham AFC and the sport loving public of North Wales.

“This partnership has the opportunity to turn this ambition into reality and we are committed to playing a full part in achieving this.”

MP Sarah Atherton said, “I am delighted with the progress that is being made on the Wrexham Gateway project, which is so critical to Wrexham and will be welcomed by many across the town.

“The UK Government is committed to making sure that communities around the country have the opportunity to change and grow and I will be banging the drum in Westminster for our town to make sure this project gets the funding it deserves.”