A council has thrown more than £175,000 into the pot so £1.6m of housing regeneration can take place in a seaside town.

Conwy county council’s cabinet rubber-stamped the cash injection at a meeting of its cabinet on Tuesday.

The money will form part of match funding for a Welsh Government grant scheme called The Targeted Regeneration Investment Programme (TRI) aimed at improving housing in Rhyl, Wrexham, Bangor and Colwyn Bay.

This is stage two and three of the scheme centred around the Abergele Road area of Colwyn Bay and will see work completed on re-rendering (including external walls insulation), replacement windows, rain water goods, fascia and barge boards where needed.

A report to cabinet said: “The works will assist in addressing fuel poverty for the residents and also help the Government to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.”

Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, cabinet member for housing and regulatory said: “Targeted housing regeneration plays an essential role not only in improving our affordable housing stock but also drives regeneration of our town centres and I am strongly in favour of supporting this proposal.”

Cllr Louise Emery, cabinet member for adult social services and leisure, asked whether many of the properties in the area were rental properties as they would need to conform to energy efficiency ratings which would ultimately be more stringent in the future.

Cllr McCoubrey confirmed that he thought many were rented out.

Cllr Emery welcomed the investment and said: “It could cost £3,500 to get them up to spec. As you know we need rental properties.”

Welsh Government will contribute £1,145,340, Conwy county council will borrow £210,000 towards the project, contribute £105,385 from its housing budget and now £175,475 match funding from another pot.

The report to cabinet said the initiative could be expanded to other areas of the county.

A consultant has been engaged to project manage the latest scheme of works.

All properties taking advantage of the scheme will have a charge applied to them, meaning if the house is sold within three years any grant money used on refurbishment will have to be repaid.

Works are expected to start within this financial year.