PRESS RELEASE : Wales World Heritage Site awarded £13.3 million for visitor improvements [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 17 January 2023.
The Pontycysyllte Aqueduct, area of outstanding natural beauty, has been awarded £13.3 million from the Levelling Up Fund.
The Pontycysyllte Aqueduct is a masterpiece of engineering and a popular visitor destination. The aqueduct is a main focal point on the 11-mile stretch of the World Heritage Site. This area of outstanding natural beauty has been awarded £13.3 million from the Levelling Up Fund.
The funding will help:
- secure its future as a prime heritage asset
- maximise the potential of the site
Trevor Basin plan to expand tourism benefits
The initial phases of the Trevor Basin Technical Masterplan will deliver:
- refocusing of the site around the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
- a range of visitor improvements
This will include investment to:
- develop a new walking route in Dee Valley and the area around the aqueduct
- set up a woodland activity and education area
- rewild former industrial land
- create a new arrival area
Upgrading the visitor experience
The investment will improve connectivity, including:
- improving links between Llangollen and the Wenffrwd Nature Reserve
- an active travel route for walking and cycling along a disused railway line
- a new public space at Llangollen’s Castle Street and Abbey Road junction
- new visitor facilities at Horseshoe Falls
Improved access across the site will deliver health and well-being benefits for future visitors.
Improvements to Corwen Station
Station and car park upgrades include:
- an active travel route along the former railway line between Corwen and Cynwyd
- electric vehicle charging points
These improvements will:
- bring the area back to life as a global tourist attraction
- provide a major boost to the local economy
