MORE than £3million has been spent on two related town centre sites that are part of the council’s regeneration plan for Haverfordwest.

A report to Pembrokeshire County Council’s cabinet next week states that the Wilko building on Old Bridge and the Perrots Road car park were bought on February 26 for £1,500,000, as well as Riverside Quay shopping area, which cost £1,600,000.

At one point the site was advertised for sale at more than £5.5million.

Cabinet member for economy and regeneration Cllr Paul Miller has said previously that the cost to the council would be unlikely to exceed £700,000 but the report to Monday’s (May 17) cabinet does not include a breakdown of grant and council funding.

The purchases are included in the six-monthly acquisitions and disposals report where the buying and sale of land and buildings of more than a £100,000 are listed.

The November 2020 cabinet decision to buy the Riverside Shopping Centre was called in by councillors for further scrutiny in December 2020 over concerns about the council’s budgetary position, any extra costs to tax payers and the impact on other towns in the county.

The committee backed the decision following a lengthy debate and assurances that there would be no revenue costs and there would no impact on revenue budget or council tax levels.

Cllr Miller has said previously that the purchase would be a key part of the economic regeneration of Haverfordwest town centre and was one of the actions identified to “support economic recovery in the short term and Pembrokeshire’s economy in the long term.”

The site will be linked to the new library, as well as the Western Quay development that is now underway and the work to improve access from Bridge Street to Haverfordwest Castle.