THE former Woolworths store in Castle Square will be among properties to benefit from a £2.6 million project to revitalise Haverfordwest town centre.

Heritage Lottery Fund has announced it is awarding £1.2 million towards phase two of the Haverfordwest Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) – which aims to regenerate the heart of the county town through building conservation.

The grant – which has been match-funded by Pembrokeshire County Council and Cadw - will be spent over the next five years refurbishing historic properties in the town centre, focusing on High Street, Market Street and Dew Street.

More than 20 conservation projects were completed during phase one of the programme, totalling £3.2 million.

Councillor David Pugh, cabinet member for economy, tourism and communities, welcomed the news.

“The heart of Haverfordwest is full of historic buildings, many of them dating back to Georgian and Victorian times and many with earlier, even mediaeval, remains,” he said.

“Unfortunately in recent years this part of the town has suffered economic decline and has got to look shabby and run down.

“The initiative aims to revitalise the heart of the old town by renovating and conserving its properties so that they can become more attractive and economically viable.”

The Grade II listed 10 and 10a Dew Street, and the former Woolworths store on Castle Square are among those considered to be in ‘critical need’ of preservation work which will benefit from the funding boost.

Martin White, head of regeneration at Pembrokeshire County Council, said it was important to invest in the fabric of Haverfordwest in order to support its wider role as a key economic driver for the county.

Local young people will also benefit from the initiative through new training opportunities.

Chris Curtis, head of engineering and construction at Pembrokeshire College, said it was a fantastic opportunity for construction students to practice their skills on real-life regeneration projects, which were right on their doorstep.

“They will get an insight into the design, procurement and construction process, while working towards their qualifications,” he said.

Business and tourism and art and photography students will also get a chance to be involved by undertaking surveys and helping design promotional material.

And there will opportunities for hospitality students to gain skills by working in a catering outlet in the THI area.

The Haverfordwest Townscape Heritage Initiative is a partnership project jointly funded by Pembrokeshire County Council, The Heritage Lottery Fund and Cadw.