Sometimes, a meeting goes well and you get a real buzz: that’s how it was last Friday when representatives of local organisations came together to pool ideas on their vision of how the former Llanelli Railway Goods Shed could be transformed into a vibrant community hub, offering a whole range of activities and appealing to a wide cross section of the population.
Many of you will have passed by the building in question, which is situated to the east of Llanelli railway station behind grey Network Rail railings extending along Marsh Street. It is a Grade II Listed building, but sadly, in recent years, it has fallen into disrepair.
Now, however, after hard work by our Trustees and our project officer, who is funded by the Architectural Heritage Trust and Carmarthenshire County Council, we have received development grants both from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery CAT2 scheme.
This is money to help us develop plans and provide the very detailed bids that are required for the grant funding that we shall need to restore the building, built in the Brunel style in 1875.
The Shed is deceptively spacious, with an office block the size of a small community centre at one end, a vast cathedral-like main space, a full-height basement running the length of the building, and plenty of land outside to provide both off-street parking and activity areas.
Currently, our plans include space for business start-ups, community café, heritage area with a real locomotive in situ, arts rehearsal and workshop space, video-making facilities, exhibition spaces, meeting rooms, training and work opportunities and community garden.
If you would like to find out more, or have suggestions to make, please see our website http://www.llanellirailwaygoodsshedtrust.org.uk/ or contact our project officer on Robert Lloyd on rlloyd@btinternet.com and 07777 683637.
