Across Mid Wales businesses are investing, expanding and looking for ways to create new opportunities in their communities. Their ambition is evident in the level of interest shown in the Mid Wales Commercial Property Investment Fund, and in the strength of the projects that have come forward.
For many growing firms, the next stage of development depends on having the right premises to support that growth. New space, refurbished buildings and better employment sites can all make the difference between a plan that remains on paper and a project that can be delivered.
The Mid Wales Commercial Property Investment Fund was created to support that step. It sits within the wider Growing Mid Wales Growth Deal, a major investment programme backed by the Welsh Government and UK Government to support long-term economic growth across the region. Growing Mid Wales is the regional partnership between Powys County Council and Ceredigion County Council, working to drive economic growth, investment and collaboration across Mid Wales.
Through that structure, the Commercial Property Investment Fund provides capital funding to support business premises and employment space across the region. It is designed to help develop new commercial space, support extensions and refurbishments, and bring unused or underused space back into productive use.
When the fund launched in May 2025, the response from businesses across the region was strong. We saw interest from a wide range of sectors and a number of high-quality projects came forward. The process was deliberately rigorous, beginning with a viability stage to assess the quality, ambition and deliverability of each proposal before a smaller number of businesses were invited to submit fully developed bids.
Nine projects reached that developed bid stage. Together they represented a total project value of approximately £11.12 million, with a fund ask of around £3.96 million. The fund was designed to support projects with values from £250,000 up to £2.3 million, with businesses able to apply for up to £1 million and a maximum intervention rate of 45%.
Importantly, this is not about replacing private investment. It is about unlocking it. From the projects that came forward, it is clear that in many cases the investment would not have happened without this support. The fund is helping to fill the gap that can exist between a business’ ambition and its ability to finance the premises it needs to take the next step.
The potential impact is significant. Across the original nine developed bids, the projects had the potential to create more than 10,000 square metres of new or refurbished commercial floorspace. For businesses looking to grow in Mid Wales, that additional capacity can support investment, recruitment and stronger local supply chains.
The proposals also had the potential to create more than 100 jobs and safeguard many more. Several businesses that engaged with the fund had been considering moving out of the area. For Mid Wales, losing those businesses would have meant losing employment, local supply chain activity and future investment potential.
The fund has helped some of those businesses stay in the region, invest in their own premises and continue to create opportunities locally.
That is one of the strongest arguments for this kind of investment. When a business has the space to expand, it can take on more work, recruit more people, invest in equipment and plan with greater confidence.
The projects supported through the fund are at different stages. Some are already progressing into delivery, having been assessed and approved for funding, while others are still moving through the evaluation process.
The fund has also created an opportunity to connect businesses with wider regional support. Our partners in the Regional Skills Partnership have been involved in the process, helping to make links with businesses that may not have been fully aware of the support available to them. As projects move from developed bids into delivery, those relationships can help ensure that investment in premises is connected to workforce planning, skills development and longer-term growth.
For Mid Wales, this is about more than individual business projects. It is about improving the conditions in which businesses can invest, grow and remain rooted in the region.
Jon Williams discusses the Mid Wales Commercial Property Investment Fund on Unlocking Mid Wales, the Growing Mid Wales podcast. Listen here:
