AN ICONIC building in Tredegar is set to return to its former glory as public consultation over a multi-million pound development gets underway.

Bedwellty House and Park has received its first stage of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), who has earmarked £3,599,000 for the project.

Also, Blaenau Gwent council and its partners have been awarded a £253,000 development grant to help develop the plans in order to secure the full £3.6 million funding for the Grade II listed building.

Former Tredegar town councillor Megan Fox, who lead the campaign for restoration during her 30 years on the council said it was "absolutely wonderful," that 30 years of work were starting to bare fruit.

She added: "We've been absolutely amazed at what is projected for the park. When that comes into fruition, it's something that no other town within the borough has got, and no other town in South Wales has got, it will be an absolute gem."

The public consultation begins in earnest in the new year when a number of workshops will be held, but Blaenau Gwent council are already taking ideas as part of the process, the success of which will enable the council to secure the rest of the funding from HLF.

Currently, Bedwellty House and park is used by local organisations and plans for the site include offices, educational space and a cafe as well as exhibitions within the house illustrating the history of the site.

The surrounding 26 acres of gardens and parkland is also scheduled for restoration, with improved planting and restocking of the fish ponds just two aspects of the redevelopment.

Three full-time posts will be created by the project, as they are required to oversee the restoration and plan community events.

Mrs Fox added: "The end result will be well worth the wait."

Bedwellty House was used as a home by the ironmasters of Tredegar until 1901.

The site covers more than 26 acres of land.

The park itself is home yo many specimens of mature trees, including those planted almost 200 years ago by Samuel Homfray.

The grounds house one of the last remaining ice houses in Wales, which was used to refrigerate food for the house by storing goods between layers of ice and straw.

There is still and Octagonal House and Grotto which once contained one of the two fountains within the park.

Two of the more unusual features of the park are the large blocks of coal situated near the ponds. The larger of the two weighs 16 tons and is the remainder of a 20-ton block cut commemorate the Great Exhibition of 1851. The smaller block, cut for the festival of Britain 1951, weights two tons.