CIVIC leaders are seeking an investment of £97m to rejuvenate Wrexham’s economy.

A total of 13 organisations across the county borough have banded together to lobby for public money.

It includes £35m to address the main pinch points on the A483, £32m to improve the town centre and £30m to transform the Mold Road gateway.

Wrexham Council’s chief executive Ian Bancroft, who is one of the people behind the bid, said securing the funding was “absolutely critical” to ensuring the area’s economic recovery following the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking at a meeting of the local authority’s executive board held today, he said: “You’ll see those three key asks which set out our platform for the future 12 months in terms of what will really make Wrexham sustainable both as a town centre and a wider county borough.

“We are in a really good position with clear schemes on the table ready for capital investment that will make a massive and significant difference to Wrexham.

“I would just ask that everybody gets behind this, and we work really closely with Welsh Government and the UK Government.

“If we can deliver these schemes, then it puts Wrexham in a really good position moving forward and out of COVID.”

The A483 initiative would lead to enhancements between junction three of the dual carriageway at Croesfoel and junction six at Gresford.

The headline figures for the town centre include £10m to redevelop a key site on the junction of Bridge Street and St Giles Way into housing.

Meanwhile, the gateway scheme includes plans for a new 5,000 capacity all-seater stand at the Kop end of Wrexham AFC’s Racecourse Ground.

Members of the ruling independent/Conservative coalition said progress had already been made in relation to the A483 and Mold Road bids, with land secured in relation to the latter project.

Council leader Mark Pritchard said there was a large amount of work taking place to secure a positive outlook for Wrexham’s economy, with an announcement expected soon on the creation of a new Welsh football museum in the town.

He said: “If you look at the report, the amounts of money are 35, 30 and 32 million pounds.

“On top of that, we’re waiting for the announcement with regards to the museum.

“Welsh Government announced there was another pot of money for 30 million pounds.

“We put a bid in for eight million pounds to help support the homeless within Wrexham so we’re waiting for that and I hope we’re successful.

“There’s a lot of work being done in the background and if everything comes off it will put us in a very good place.”

Executive board members voted to endorse the goals set out by the Civic Leadership Group and to use it to lobby the government for more investment.

Following the decision, the authority said it intended to seek meetings with ministers as soon as possible.