PLANS to redevelop Abergavenny Town Hall to provide a community hub have been lodged with the local authority.

The building in Cross Street, which was built in the 1870s, currently houses the town council offices, the Abergavenny Market and the Borough Theatre.

It was given Grade II listed status in 1971 and remains the dominant landmark in the market town.

But GWP Architecture have revealed plans to convert the ground and first floors into a one-stop shop for Monmouthshire County Council services.

The first floor of the Market Hall could also be extended to accommodate a new public library, complete with viewing deck, and community learning facilities.

Under the proposals, a new eight-person passenger lift would take visitors up to the library and to the Borough Theatre on the second and third floor.

The theatre itself would not undergo any major works but both front and back of house access will be improved, while space will be set aside for offices.

The hub would be fifth of its kind in the county, with similar centres working out of former library buildings in Chepstow, Caldicot, Monmouth and Usk.

Monmouthshire County Council has created the hubs since 2015 in a bid to improve access to all of its facilities, while also cutting costs.

And a planning report said that Abergavenny residents had expressed concern that the town was “lagging behind” other Monmouthshire communities where hubs had been operating for some time.

Currently the town’s library, one-stop shop and community learning services operate independently of one another in different locations.

“This means that Abergavenny’s citizens are unable to experience the benefits and convenience that the hub service can provide and struggle with accessibility to these facilities,” the report reads.

“It also results in an inefficient and costly service.”

A council spokesman said that consultation on the proposals would start soon.