A once popular seaside town is set to be returned to its former glory after the rubberstamping of a £20million regeneration package.
Rhyl, a town along the coasts of north-east Wales, used to be a tourist hotspot famed for its beach attractions, but has since fallen on hard times.
The reversal of that sad decline will be jump-started in 2026 after senior councillors approved a 10-year draft plan to revive the community.
Capital will be pumped into multiple areas, including high streets, heritage sites, housing developments, employment opportunities, health services, transport infrastructure and educational facilities.
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Additional investment will also be provided for skills development, health and well-being services in the local community.
Rhyl was once home to a thriving tourist economy, built around the beach and a 30-acre manmade reservoir known as The Marine Lake, which was opened in 1985, complete with fairground rides and a zoo.
By the 1960s, the Marine Lake Funfair had been demolished and its successor, Ocean Beach Funfair, would close its doors in 2007.
The only remaining feature of the town’s original Victorian splendour is the Rhyl Miniature Railway, which used to run around the lake and can now be found in a nearby museum.
The former tourist hotspot of Rhyl, north Wales, is set ot recieve a £20million regeneration package
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A new development, named Ocean Plaza, was planned to include apartments, a hotel and various retail outlets, but was soon halted after the developers, Modus Properties, went bankrupt in 2009.
Much of the once-loved waterfront then remained vacant and rotting for years as repeated attempts to revive the town failed to take off.
However, it seems Ryhl’s fortunes are finally on the up with the council’s new bumper investment package.
Tony Ward, corporate director for the economy and environment at Denbighshire County Council, told the cabinet meeting earlier this month: "This Pride and Place programme of funding will provide Rhyl with £20million over the next 10 years."
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Rhyl was home to beachside theme parks, among other tourist attractions
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He explained: "The £20million is technically being awarded to the council, but the investment is to be directed by an independent community-led board, the Our Rhyl board."
The Our Rhyl board brings together representatives from various sectors, including local businesses, North Wales Police, the town council, community groups and third sector organisations.
Mr Ward emphasised: "So it is the Our Rhyl board who will make the decisions about how it would like to see the £20m invested, based on the priorities of the people of Rhyl."
He confirmed that community engagement would remain central to the programme's implementation, ensuring residents continue to shape investment priorities throughout the decade-long initiative.
The town had fallen on hard times since its Victorian and early 20th-century heyday
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Mr Ward stated that the £20million would be utilised to leverage further funds for Rhyl's development.
However, the vision report acknowledged that the funding alone will not save the town.
“As representatives of the Neighbourhood Board, we recognise that £20million over 10 years is not, on its own, enough to deliver all the change Rhyl needs,” it read.
“This plan is more than a single funding stream. It is about using that investment as a catalyst, leveraging further support from public, private, and community partners to maximise every pound and unlock new opportunities,” the report added.
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