CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new activities centre and café at at Pontymoile canal basin, on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal near Pontypool, have been given the green light, despite concerns over the building’s aesthetics.

A new activities centre will be aimed at improving non-motor powered activities on the canal, such as paddle boarding and canoeing.

As part of the development the existing toilet block will be demolished, which raised some concerns over accessibility for visitors.

In the planning meeting, Cllr Huw Bevan said: “We seem to be doing away with public toilets.”

Claire Hall, senior planner at Torfaen Council said: “The toilet block has got issues in terms of its maintenance and management.

“The proposed building does propose new facilities in terms of a café and toilets.”

Ms Hall recognised that the toilet block would be privately owned and wouldn’t necessarily be open 24/7.

The proposal has been put forward by the Canal and River Trust in conjunction with Torfaen and Caerphilly County Borough Councils.

The three organisations have been successful in bidding for funding from the Welsh European Funding Office to provide an activity hub at the site.

However, Torfaen council received 73 objections to the plans, with many concerned over the loss of the existing barge café business.

Concerns were also raised by residents and councillors over the visual impact of the building.

Cllr Fay Jones said: “I am not happy with the aesthetics of the building.”

Cllr Janet Jones said the proposed building did not look like it was “keeping aesthetically with the other buildings in the area”.

Ms Hall said there was an “element of subjectivity to it”.

The site currently has a café in the shape of a canal boat, picnic benches and toilets.

Services for boat users will also be provided in a dedicated part of the new building.

When the development is completed, the café will be open from 9am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday.

It is not yet clear however when activities provided from the site would be available, as they could be provided by external companies.

In 2019, the Canal and River Trust secured more than £4 million of European Union funding for a programme called the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal Adventure Triangle, which included three projects centred around Pontymoile.

Included in that was a plan to develop an activities centre at Pontymoile with a view to attracting more visitors and locals to enjoy the canal and its surroundings.

The Pontymoile basin is the former junction of the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal and the Monmouthshire Canal from Pontymoile to Newport.