Theatre among £120m grant awards

Among the grant projects are those helping schools and in the community

Ten projects across Wales are to benefit from a £120m grants package from the Welsh Assembly Government.

The most significant projects include £20m towards affordable housing, and £15m for an arts and science centre in Bangor University, Gwynedd.

The Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, Andrew Davies, said investing in the projects would bring huge economic benefits.

It would also give the construction industry a boost, he added.

"This is an innovative and exciting way of investing in capital projects and brings huge benefits in the current economic climate," said Mr Davies.

"As well as providing high quality public services, these projects will give a much-needed boost to the beleaguered construction industry, as we estimate they will create or support over 3,000 jobs during the construction process," he added.

LIST OF PROJECTS £20m for affordable housing £35m for the Ebbw Vale Learning Works (including school/sports/leisure and arts centre provision) £12m for the Taf Ely Learning Campus £5.3m for school buildings in Gwynedd £10m for three emergency strategic co-ordination centres £15m for an arts and science centre at Bangor University £8.5m for a new emergency care centre at Prince Charles Hospital £8m for the Children's Hospital for Wales £3.5m for the Glyn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea £975,000 for eco-lighting at 17 monuments Source: Welsh Assembly Government

Nick Bennett, chief executive of Community Housing Cymru, welcomed the money and said it was proof of the "economic role that social housing plays in Wales".

In Bangor, the money will go towards the £36m needed to build a "science meets arts" space to replace the old Theatr Gwynedd theatre building which closed last year.

The new arts facilities should be open by the spring of 2012.

'Fantastic facility'

University vice-chancellor Professor Merfyn Jones said the grant announcement was "tremendous news", and a "boost" for north Wales.

"This funding together with additional European, arts council and university funds will allow us to move ahead with developing a fantastic new facility for the area," he added.

Prof Jones said the new centre would provide more than just arts facilities for the whole community with a theatre, exhibition spaces, bar and cafe.

"This will be a centre where science meets the arts, where students will learn new design skills to solve real-world problems, improving their job prospects and providing local businesses with innovative new talent.

Theatre campaigners are delighted with the planned new centre

"It will make a significant contribution to the economic regeneration of the area and to our young people's future," he added.

As well as providing a new home for the arts the centre will also include a new students' union as well as a variety of teaching and learning spaces.

"This is a tremendously ambitious project and is one of the most exciting initiatives of its kind in Europe, if not the world," Prof Jones said.

Ann Jones, of the Friends of Theatr Gwynedd group, which campaigned to keep the old theatre open until the new facility was assured, said: "This is a positive thing, and we need to see facilities which are as good, if not better, than we had before."