A building in Lampeter town centre will be renovated and brought back into use after being bought by Ceredigion council as part of a regeneration programme.

As part of Ceredigion County Council’s Development and Regeneration Programme, 10-11 Harford Square will be renovated on the outside and the ground floor returned to two commercial units with new traditional shopfronts.

The upper floors will be converted into flats.

The council said that the purchase and renovation was a “pilot project” which will “demonstrate how the council’s role can help reverse the decline of our county’s high streets, reviving empty buildings back into use, benefitting local businesses and the community.”

“We are working to secure more empty properties to bring back into use and hope this will be the first of many,” the council said.

While plans are drawn up for the renovation, a temporary commissioned piece of art work bespoke to Lampeter, will be placed over the shop front.

Commissioned artist Hannah Davies is an award-winning illustrator, living and working by the seaside in south Wales, taking inspiration from the textures and patterns of the natural world.

Hannah’s inspiration for this art work has been collated from several local references, including the Town Hall building, University building, Welsh Cobs, Dalis Fair, Lampeter Stallion Show and Agricultural Show, cows, sheep, river Teifi, bridge and swans, woollen mills, Welsh quilts, drovers road, gold mines and Longwood woodland.

Cllr Rhodri Evans, Ceredigion County Council’s cabinet member for economy and regeneration, said: “This is a very exciting development in Lampeter and it’s great to see how the council can take steps to regenerate and bring life into our town centres.

"We look forward to seeing the plans take shape, which will inevitably boost the economy and support the local community.”