HOLTON Road is to be given a 1 million makeover in an attempt to turn it into a French-style caf quarter.

The Barry thoroughfare will get more seating, more plants and wider pavements to encourage people to sit outside coffee shops and cafs.

It will be the latest in a series of improvements to Barry town centre, following the refurbishment of the old town hall, King Square and Central Park.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council secured the cash for the ambitious project, after a successful bid to the Welsh Assembly Government's physical regeneration fund.

The fund was set up to tackle derelict or decaying buildings and help regenerate town centres or industrial areas.

Council leader Jeffrey James said: "I am delighted the council has been successful in securing this funding.

"Along with the council's 7m commitment to the old town hall scheme, this major upgrading of a key part of Holton Road will make a tremendous difference to the environmental conditions in Barry town centre."

He added: "The scheme will also complement the project to build a new footbridge between the bottom of Thompson Street and the successful Waterfront development and this, in turn, will further add to the revitalisation of the town centre."

Vale of Glamorgan AM Jane Hutt also welcomed the news, which she described as an important boost for the regeneration of Barry's central shopping area.

"This is an important time for Barry," she said.

"The award is particularly important given the recent sad news about the closure of Dan Evans, which has occupied an important position on Holton Road for many years."

In addition to the refurbishment work mentioned above, the Vale Council also has plans to improve the short stay car parking lay-bys, disabled parking, loading bays and bus stops on Holton Road.