PLANS to spend nearly £500,000 on redeveloping two community facilities in Caerphilly county borough have been given the green light.

Demolitions will be carried out at Longbridge Baths and a council building in Risca following cabinet approval.

Funding will come from a sum paid to the local authority by Tesco for the development of its Risca superstore.

The dilapidated outdoor swimming baths in Bridge Street, seen as an ‘eyesore’ to many, will be pulled down by the council.

Proposals include the demolition of a two-storey section of the building, an extensive refurbishment of the interior and car park enhancements.

The existing changing facilities, which closed last year due to water damage, will be improved but the number of changing rooms will be reduced from four to two.

A council report suggests that the work could cost up to £160,000.

The other site earmarked for demolition in Brookland Road comprises of a former library, gym, garage and a basic skills unit, with costs estimated at £280,000.

Councillors had requested that the former gym, which has been vacant for more than a decade be redeveloped and returned to the community.

But the council has opted to turn such proposals down as no business plan has been submitted for such a project, the cost of which could rise to an extra £100,000.

A youth club on the site will remain untouched but the cabinet meeting heard on Wednesday that the future of the building, which dates to the 1970s, could be reviewed at a later date.

The council have been asked to reuse stone arising from the demolition to build a more attractive perimeter wall around the war memorial in Commercial Street.

Proposals to improve the environment of Risca town centre could be approved if any money is left after the major demolition schemes.

Labour councillor Phillipa Marsden asked: “If there are no monies left would you store that stone, and would there be a cost attached to that?”

In response, a council officer said: “We could potentially store the stone and that could potentially cost money.

“I would err caution on talking about new projects as we don’t know if there will be any residual money.”