Blaenau Gwent
Right: Bedwellty House
Bottom: A thriving street in the county borough
Doing business in Blaenau Gwent
The five towns in the county borough are: Abertillery, Blaina, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar. Population: 69,000 approximately.
What type of businesses would we find in Blaenau Gwent? Blaenau Gwent has a diverse range of
businesses, from a wide variety of different sectors. We have lots of manufacturing businesses and the automotive sector in particular is well represented. In the five town centres of Abertillery, Blaina, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar, there are around 500 businesses.
Why does the area need to be regenerated? The area is still recovering from the demise
of traditional coal and steel industries and needs jobs to replace those lost. As a result, the borough has areas with high levels of multiple deprivation as measured by the 2011 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation and high levels of unemployment, particularly youth
32 THEbusiness QUARTER
unemployment. Regeneration initiatives and the creation of new jobs from businesses and inward investment will offer the much needed boost to this area
What sort of plans are in place for regerating the borough? The council and its partners have in place a
Regeneration Strategy for the borough which identifies a number of transformational actions that must be implemented if the borough is to meet its vision for 2018. These actions focus on developing manufacturing, boosting business support and enterprise, promoting learning and modern skills, focusing investment in key communities, delivering The Works programme on the former steelworks site and putting in place the transport infrastructure to enable these changes to take place.
How will the Enterprise Zone in Ebbw Vale help the area? The Enterprise Zone is likely to include a
five-year business rate reduction and speeded-up planning procedures. The wider area should also benefit by virtue of the increased investment and associated employment opportunities. A range of other key initiatives are being planned, which should multiply the economic effects by simultaneously targeting the development of innovation, entrepreneurship and skills development within the borough.
How do you go about promoting the area to inward investors? The local authority is part of the Capital
Wales marketing initiative which promotes south east Wales to businesses in England and
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