More social housing will be built on Anglesey within the next 12 months.
Councillors on the island have set their priorities for the coming year, which include a major home-building operation.
They also intend to extend a business park, reopen a library and progress with the Wylfa Newydd development.
On Monday (July 15) a meeting of the full council ratified its latest delivery plan, outlining what the authority hopes to achieve during what remains of the 2019/20 financial year.
Nuclear power plans
As part of the planned priorities, a clear commitment was made to Wylfa Newydd , despite much disappointment this past January when backers of the multi billion pound nuclear plant suspended operations .
Largely blamed on rising costs and the inability to find the necessary capital to fund its construction, the plant was expected to provide around six per cent of the country’s electricity and expected to create 8,500 jobs during construction and 850 jobs over its 60-year operational lifespan.
Since then Westminster’s Welsh Affairs Committee, in a report, has called on the UK Government and Hitachi to explore new financing models that might help get work back underway at the site near Cemaes.
Cllr Llinos Medi, in her leader’s notes, reiterated the authority’s determination to continue putting pressure on both governments to realise the project while ensuring that any Section 106 agreement would unlock millions of pounds in community benefits for the island.
“We will continue to put pressure on the governments in Cardiff and London to do everything they can to ensure the realisation of the Wylfa Newydd development,” noted Cllr Medi.
“In moving forward the Energy Island Programme remains a priority to maximise benefits from proposed major projects, as well as influence the draft Energy White Paper as a ‘route map’ to deliver a new nuclear development at Wylfa.”
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Homes, library and new industrial space
With the document officially adopted by members on Monday, other projects the authority expects to realise between now and April 2020 are:
- 2,616 square metres of new business premises at Holyhead’s Penrhos Industrial Park
- August’s planned re-opening of Holyhead’s Market Hall as a library and office space
- Bringing 75 long term empty homes back into use
- Building 25 new council homes and buying in another 15 former council houses
Meanwhile, last week’s announcement that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority was contributing £495,000 towards the North Anglesey Economic Regeneration Plan was warmly welcomed by one of the local members.
Cllr Richard Griffiths said: “I warmly welcome the much needed and much deserved funding that's on its way to north Anglesey
"I’m pleased that Holyhead has also received funding, but by working with the county council the town of Holyhead has managed to get back on its feet.
"Of course there are more improvements to be made, likewise for Llangefni, but the key word is co-operation.
"Cemaes and Llanfechell have done it through the community councils working with the county council, and I hope to see the same happen in Amlwch."
Cllr Carwyn Jones, the economic development portfolio holder, added: “We are going to welcome 38 cruise ships to the island this year and I think there’s scope to work with providers to do more to keep visitors on Anglesey.
“We also saw the vastly successful Island Games football tournament held on Anglesey recently, there has been universal praise and will only help our ambition of hosting the full games in 2025.
“We will be working closely with bid organisers to achieve this aim.”
