Levelling Up Fund: Rhyl Gateway Pocket Park

Project background

The Rhyl Town Centre Gateway Pocket Park is a key regeneration project supported by Round 3 of the UK Government’s former Levelling Up Fund. Located at the southern end of Rhyl High Street, at the junction with Brighton Road, the site contained buildings that had become structurally unsafe. These were partially demolished in 2022 with support from the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Programme.

Rather than redevelop the site with new buildings, Denbighshire County Council is transforming the space into a small, vibrant green area, known as a "pocket park." Designed to create a more attractive and welcoming entrance into the town centre, the park will offer a place for people to enjoy the improved public realm. This initiative forms part of the Council’s wider Pride of Place and Natural Environment programme, which aims to enhance the quality of place and promote wellbeing across Rhyl.

Key points

We hope the project will:

1. Strategic Location: Positioned at the southern gateway to Rhyl High Street, near Vale Road Bridge.
2. Transformational Impact: Replaces unsafe and unsightly buildings, enhancing a key entrance to the town centre.
3. Part of a Wider Vision: Complements other public realm improvements funded through the UK Government’s Pride of Place and Natural Environment in Rhyl programmes.
4. Boosts Regeneration and Wellbeing: Supports town centre revitalisation, improves biodiversity, and increases canopy cover.
5. Next Steps: Subject to approval, site clearance is planned for late 2025, with construction expected to begin in early 2026.

Current position

The site has now been partially cleared, and detailed design plans for the new pocket park have been developed. A public consultation was held in early 2025 to gather feedback on the proposed design. Denbighshire County Council is now moving forward with the next phase, preparing to submit a planning application. Subject to approval, construction is expected to begin in early 2026

Gallery

Artist’s impressions of the park show the proposed design for the pocket park. Introducing a welcoming public space with new seating, planting, lighting, and cycle parking. The layout includes improved paving, heritage signage restoration, and enhanced green areas to create a more attractive environment for residents and visitors.

Consultation

A public consultation was held from 6 March to 6 April 2025 to gather community feedback on the proposed plans. Residents were invited to share their views through an online survey and paper forms available at Rhyl Library.

We received over 100 responses, reflecting a wide range of local perspectives. All feedback is now being reviewed by the design team and will help shape the final plans for the site.