New chapter for ex-store (From Free Press Series)

New chapter for ex-store

A NEW library could be built in the old Tesco building in Pontypool town centre.

Torfaen council has drawn up a plan to move the library from the old building on Hanbury Road to the top floor of the empty building. Dave Congreve, Torfaen council's head of leisure, youth and culture, outlined the plan for the new custom-built facility to a meeting of Pontypool Community Council recently.

At the meeting, emphasising it was still in very early stages, he said the existing building was old and its shape limited what could be done there. He said there was a need for a new kind of library offering new technology and facilities to get young people involved.

The new facility could offer a range of exhibition rooms, a homework club and interview rooms, a new media centre and even a caf.

It would also form a major part of the regeneration of the town centre. The existing building is still owned by Pontypool Park Estate and could revert back to them should it not be used for educational purposes.

Executive Member for leisure, youth and culture councillor Glyn Caron said: "Plans for the proposed re-development of the former Tesco's site for a new Pontypool library are at an embryonic stage.

"For location and suitability, the former Tesco's would be a prime site, however, the plans are at the earliest stage due to limited capital funds and a number of technical issues to overcome.

"To move this project forward we would need to rely on external funding from the Assembly's Physical Regeneration Fund and there is no guarantee that an application could be submitted in this round of funding. "The owners have put the building on the open market and it could be that the building is purchased before we are able to progress our plans further."

The building is owned by Translloyd Development Limited. They are currently carrying out work on splitting the ground floor into up to three retail units.

Director Simon Marsh said they had been in contact with Torfaen council about the library plan. Regarding work on the ground floor, he said they had signed up one retailer and were speaking to a number of interested parties about taking up the other spaces.

10 books suitable for a library in a supermarket

The Da Vinci Barcode

Tarzan of the Grapes

Trolley-us and Cressida

War and Peas

Captain Corelli's Mandarin

Hound of the Basketvilles

Count of Monte Crisps-o

The Mayor of Castor Sugar

Stephen King's Cash & Carrie

Anything by smoked Salmon Rushdie