Posted on: Friday 18 July 2025
More than £800,000 is to be invested in improving access to nature in urban areas in the borough.
Torfaen Council is one of only two local authorities in Wales to be awarded funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, as part of a new Nature Towns and Cities programme.
A total of £808,315 will be used to create or improve green spaces and neighbourhoods, with a focus on areas where access to nature is limited.
Projects may include updating parks, planting wildflowers, creating pocket parks or installing more street trees.
Council Leader Cllr Anthony Hunt said: “We want nature to flourish in Torfaen and for more people to experience its many health and well-being benefits.
“This funding will enable us to work with our communities and partners in new and innovative ways, so that together we can achieve more and make a real difference to nature recovery and keeping our communities healthy.”
Nature Towns and Cities is a coalition of organisations united by the ambition to enable millions more people to experience nature in their daily lives, particularly those places and communities currently lacking access to quality green space.
Neath Port Talbot Council will also receive funding as part of the initiative, which will see investment in 40 towns and cities in total.
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We have invested over £1bn in regenerating over 900 urban parks and green spaces over the last 30 years, helping nature thrive in towns everywhere – and this exciting initiative, working with partners right across the UK, will continue to build on this investment and give millions of people better access to nature close to home.”
Mary Lewis, Head of Natural Resource Management for Natural Resources Wales, said: “We recognise the urgent need for people and nature to thrive together in the face of the climate and nature emergencies in Wales. These projects are an exciting opportunity to deliver real, lasting change in the urban places where people live, work and play.”
Find out more about nature and conservation in Torfaen
We are currently running a consultation about how to manage public green spaces, such as roadside verges and parks, to improve them for biodiversity. Get involved.
For more information, visit www.naturetownsandcities.org.uk