Mark Isherwood
North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called on the Welsh Government to provide more than short-term support to turn Brymbo ironworks into a “World-beating heritage site.”
Brymbo Heritage Group has been working for over 10 years to raise awareness of this significant site and to protect it from development.
Questioning the Minister for Culture and Sport in the Assembly Chamber this week, Mr Isherwood said:
“A total of £18,000 of Welsh Government funding and £25,000 from the heritage body, Cadw, to allow emergency works to begin on Brymbo ironworks has been well received by Brymbo Heritage Group. However, it is understood that the total cost of protecting and conserving the site will be hundreds of thousands of pounds and, thus far, discussions with Welsh Government and Cadw indicate no further funding in 2014-15.
“Given that your role is to conserve and protect the historic environment and to promote heritage-led regeneration, how will you work with this group beyond the initial investment to ensure that that conservation is in place for the day when sufficient funds are available to turn this into a world-beating heritage site?”
The Minister John Griffiths replied: “I very much agree with the Member about the importance of this historic site. What Cadw has made clear is that it very much wants to work with the local community and all those who want to see the site conserved and developed. Part of that is exploring possible avenues of funding over the longer term, with a properly developed plan that is realistic and deliverable. These are very difficult matters, because we all know about the current financial circumstances. Nonetheless, Cadw is there at the table, working with all of those who want to take this development forward.”
