Bay Life Projects

Colwyn Bay Waterfront Project   

1. Coastal defence work – to provide renewed coastal defences along the waterfront
2. Environmental improvements to the promenade – integration of renewed sea defences with environmental improvements along promenade

Porth Eirias

An impressive and iconic building right in the heart of the new promenade improvements in Colwyn Bay.

1. A centre for the whole community and visitors alike, Porth Eirias offers a modern outdoor children's playground; sailing, windsurfing, powerboat and even paddleboard classes at Colwyn Bay Watersports, modern, comfortable changing facilities, and impressive state of the art meeting and event space that wows with idyllic views over the sea
2. The centre has become home to a bistro designed and developed by Welsh Celebrity Chef Bryn Williams. Porth Eirias is an impressive and iconic new build development right at the heart of the new promenade improvements in Colwyn Bay

Parc Eirias

1. A £6.5 million project under the Bay Life regeneration programme, developed Parc Eirias into a Centre of Excellence for culture, leisure and sport.
2. The Eirias development is Colwyn Bay and Conwy’s premier sporting, and non-sporting, attraction and is home to a whole host of local and regional events and activities, all situated with fifty acres of beautiful parkland

Housing Renewal

1. Renewal of 524 residential units in the centre of Colwyn Bay
2. To take forward the neighbourhood management plan

Space for Living

1. To provide a suitable range of housing within an accessible, balanced environment
2. To coordinate property purchases and redevelopments by Housing Associations to provide a range of affordable housing

Colwyn Bay Townscape Heritage Initiative

The Colwyn Bay Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) is heritage led regeneration funded by the Heritage Lottery.

The aim of the programme is to:

1. Safeguard and restore heritage
2. Bring back empty space into use – (Pop up shop)
3. Support local skill development
4. Community Engagement

Strategic Site purchases

Bringing key problematic premises into the control of public/third sector ownership to assist with the facilitation and optimisation of the town regeneration e.g. former market hall site.

Victoria Pier 

1. Seek the resolution of this problematic site at the heart of the waterfront
2. Ensure public safety on the beach is guaranteed
3. Where appropriate and practicable represent part of the Pier’s Heritage

Pier Project Timeline

Office Accommodation Strategy

1. Modern office accommodation in the heart of Colwyn Bay for Conwy County Borough Council and thereby increasing footfall and spend in the town.

Theatr Colwyn

Theatr Colwyn opened in 1885 and is an important part of Colwyn Bay’s arts scene and an integral part of the masterplan and the town’s cultural offer.

1. Theatr Colwyn was reopened in September 2011 following a £738,000 front-of-house redevelopment ensuring the whole community can easily access and enjoy the theatre
2. The projection upgrade in 2012 made Theatr Colwyn the most technically advanced cinema in North Wales. Traditional 35mm film projection was replaced with the latest Sony 4K digital film projection improving access for those with sight and hearing loss and opening up the world of live transmissions to  the community
3. Oriel Colwyn a gallery space within Theatr Colwyn is dedicated to showcasing photography and photographic works

Strategic and Community Events

The support for high calibre sports, arts, cultural and community events helps to attract visitors, increases pride in the local community and raises the profile of the town and economic regeneration.

1. Develop venues capable of hosting community and large scale events
2. Working with partners and developing large scale events
3. Supporting and advising organisers of key local events  

Community Grant Scheme

The Vibrant and Viable Places Community fund was a dedicated pot of funding for community groups within the Bay of Colwyn. 

Local groups who in particular were able to demonstrate links to the regeneration themes within the Vibrant and Viable Places bid were able to access a small capital grant from Vibrant and Viable Places to vie in match funding for other grants and thus giving the local communities of Colwyn Bay the opportunity to play their own part in the ongoing regeneration in their town, providing a sense of place.

The success of the Bay Life Regeneration Programme is dependent upon community ownership and engagement, it is also about ensuring that they play a physical part in changes and can take ownership of projects in their community. To date the Community fund has contributed towards

• 12 Healthy Community Projects supported
• 15 Education Community projects supported
• 12 Young Communities Projects supported
• invested over £200k in to local community projects