THE Post Office has announced further changes to five branches across Gwent as part of a wide-ranging modernisation project.

It follows the announcement last month that plans are under way to improve and relocate two post offices in Newport and to modernise another in Chepstow.

The Post Office, now independent of Royal Mail, is the largest retail network in the UK, with more than 11,500 branches. It is now also proposing to move the Swffryd post office from its current location at Walter Avenue to the Nisa store in the same street. Its opening hours would more than double, with an extra 49 hours a week.

A public consultation is now under way until November 14, with the new service proposed to open in April 2015, subject to a successful consultation.

The Post Office also confirmed its plans to modernise and invest in Fairwater post office in Cwmbran.

Customers will benefit from a new, fully-modernised branch with an additional 20 hours a week. The new-look branch will open at 1pm on Wednesday, October 22, with the current branch closing for refurbishment on Thursday, October 16.

The Post Office is also modernising Tredegar post office in Commercial Street, which will close for refurbishment on Wednesday, October 22 and re-open. The new-look branch will open at 1pm on Monday, November 3.

An new-and-improved Ebbw Vale post office in Bethcar Street will open at 1pm on Thursday, October 23, with the current branch closing for refurbishment on Monday, October 13.

A branch in Monmouth will also have longer opening hours when the Over Monnow post office, Monmouth, will closes for refurbishment on Friday, October 10. The new-look branch will and re-open at 1pm on Thursday, October 16.

Consultation submissions can be made on the proposed moves at postoffice views.co.uk, by entering the code for this branch: 31563299. Alternatively, they can be made by post at Freepost Your Comments to Post Office Ltd, National Consultation Team, Wealdstone Post Office, 1st Floor, Admin, 4-12 Headstone Drive, Harrow, HA3 5QL, via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk, via the Customer Helpline: or 08457 223344 or Textphone 08457 223355.