Wrexham town centre seeking £1.5m lottery boost

The Grade II-listed Butchers Market, built in 1848, is said to be in need of investment

Lottery cash is being sought to revitalise Wrexham town centre and protect its historic buildings.

A bid for £1.5m is being planned, with the 1848 Butchers Market and the 1879 General Market among the priorities.

Empty shops would be brought back into use and investors encouraged to create apartments above them.

Terry Evans, cabinet member for the economy, said there was a risk the town's heritage was not fully utilised to boost visitors and prosperity.

In a report, he said the town centre had a "wealth" of historic buildings, on streets showing evidence of development from the 14th Century.

However, Mr Evans warned of a "stark lack of investment", with many town centre properties suffering from "inappropriate" shop frontages and a lack of maintenance.

This resulted in "perceptions of an unattractive and uninspiring environment", he added.

Builders would be trained in the right skills to restore heritage properties if funding for the scheme was approved, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.