A collaborative refurbishment project is set to transform the appearance of Old Hall façade on Cowbridge High Street.

The project has been in the planning stage for two years but had waited to receive grant funding from the Welsh Government's 'Transforming Towns' programme.

Matt Jones, 46, a structural engineer and managing director of Vale Consultancy, who are working on the revamp alongside the Cowbridge Charter Trust and the Vale of Glamorgan Council, told Nub News: "It's really the uneven paving and the benches which, affectively, they're not fit for purpose.

"So, we need to remove them and the trees there are causing structural damage, even though they were planted not that long ago," said Matt.

Vale Consultancy are working closely with Vale Courses, who are the occupiers of the Old Hall, to decide how they want to use the space. "They [Vale Courses] very much want to use it as a flexible space, particularly with a pop-up shop and for potentially putting some stalls out," said Matt.

"It's about bringing the elevation of the Old Hall to focus because now, it's quite dark in there due to the trees. The Old Hall is also a listed building, so the grant funding will also help with the cleaning and repairs to the stone and repainting it."

New seating along the length of the high street will also be actioned, as well as new planters and bike stands. "We're bringing in three mature, ornamental trees, and the Council are also doing a replacement planting scheme," said Matt.

Phil Chappell, Operational Manager, Regeneration at Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: "The Council has been working to identify funding for this project for some time as it was clear that improvements to the façade of Old Hall were a priority for both the Chamber of Trade and the Town Council.

"The Charter Trust have partnered with the Council on several projects projects in the town for many years now and this is a great example of community led regeneration."

The project is a follow-up from the Town Wall restoration project, another collaboration between Vale of Glamorgan Council and Cowbridge Charter Trust.

Work is due to start in the third week of this month and finish at the end of April.

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