Next stage of town hall redevelopment set to be agreed

The next stage in the redevelopment of Abergavenny Town Hall to provide a new community hub could be agreed this week.

Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) plans to revamp the grade II-listed building in Cross Street and provide a new community hub within the hall.

A budget of around £2.2million has been set aside for the project, which is part of a wider initiative to deliver community hubs across the county.

Out of the budget, £80,000 is also planned to be set aside to match fund a possible Arts Council grant for making improvements to the Borough Theatre, situated within the building.

The scheme is aimed at providing an improved library service to the community through the hub and at improving access to facilities.

Similar hubs have been set up in Chepstow, Caldicot, Monmouth and Usk.

Set up in 2015, the hubs are estimated to save £300,000 per year “through reduced staffing and operating costs,” according to a council report.

Councillors will vote on proceeding with the refurbishment of the building, to enable the development of the community hub, at a full council meeting on Thursday.

A report prepared ahead of the meting says: “The Friends of Abergavenny Library have repeatedly expressed their concern over the inequality of the floor space provision within the Baker Street library compared to the facilities in other towns.

“Operationally the space is difficult to manage and is no longer fit for purpose.

“The community is expressing concern that Abergavenny is lagging behind the other Monmouthshire communities where the hubs have now been operating since October 2015.”

The hall, built in the 1870s, currently houses the town council offices, the Abergavenny Market and the Borough Theatre.

Under the proposals, the ground and first floors would offer a ‘one-stop shop’ for council services, a public library and community learning provision.

The plans also seek permission to build a new passenger lift to provide wheelchair access to the first-floor hub, and the Borough Theatre on the second and third floors.

A new mayor’s parlour will be provided on the first floor and a town clerk’s office on the ground floor.

The existing theatre air conditioning unit will also be relocated to the roof and the market space will be re-configured and improved.

The council report adds: “The proposed works are subject to a tender exercise, however the indicative cost funding envelope is estimated to be £2,100,000, to include the market hall works.”

It recommends that councillors agree to proceed with the refurbishment plans.