A regeneration project in Swansea has secured extra grant funding. The Hafod Morfa Copperworks, a part of the £1bn worth of projects aimed at transforming Swansea, will receive a further £750,000.
The project, which will regenerate under used areas in the Lower Swansea Valley, sees the restoration of buildings at the former industrial site by the River Tawe near Swansea.com Stadium. A new Penderyn Whisky distillery and visitor attraction is also being built in the site's disused powerhouse and is due to open in March 2023.
The latest £750,000 grant funding is made up of £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £500,000 from the Welsh Government's regional capital stimulus funding programme.
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The total cost of the project is £7.5m which is funded by the council, National Lottery heritage fund and the Welsh Government's transforming towns programme.
Cllr Robert Francis-Davies said: "This initiative is going to be a big boost for our regeneration work. Other parts of the Lower Swansea Valley were, only 60 years ago, a post-industrial wasteland. They’re now full of business, shopping and leisure opportunities for Swansea people – Penderyn will add to that."
He added: "We plan other attractions in the Lower Swansea Valley, including the Skyline adrenalin-fuelled visitor attraction, so these are exciting times."
The cabinet member plans to detail the new grants and progress on the site to the council's cabinet on 15 September.
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Part of the copperworks site is being revamped by Swansea firm John Weaver Contractors on behalf of the council.
The council worked with partners – including Penderyn and Swansea University – to create the initial the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It made a series of policy commitments in June to deliver support to communities that will make "a real difference to people’s lives". Continuing to redevelop the copperworks site was one of those commitments.
Construction at the copperworks began in summer 2020 including the Penderyn attraction.
The visitor centre will link to the site's historic rolling mill via a new walkway where the distillery will have a barrel store. While the on-site distillery will add to the company's existing facilities.
"“We’ve already bought out distillery equipment which will be installed with the prospect of opening early next year. I hope to be producing in January then open the site to visitors in time for St. David’s Day next year," Penderyn's chief executive Stephen Davies told BusinessLive earlier this year.
There are also plans for a shop, tasting bar, exhibition space, offices and VIP bar in the grade two listed building.
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