A NEW Gypsy and Traveller site for 32 families could be created in Blaenau Gwent.

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council currently runs one permanent Gypsy and Traveller site at Cwmcrachen, Nantyglo, but a report which will go before councillors later today says there is a need for an additional eight pitches within the area.

A Gypsy settlement has resided in the Nantyglo area for more than 200 years.

The Cwmcrachen site provides 20 residential pitches, 19 of these have individual amenity units for traditional caravans.

There is also a privately run site at Stone Houses, Blaina, which has four pitches.

A report which is to be discussed by the council's environment, regeneration and economic scrutiny committee today states there is an additional eight pitches needed to the 24 pitches currently available - bringing the total to 32 pitches.

Council officers have recommended their preferred option to councillors which includes demolishing the Nantyglo site and moving families to a new settlement at Lower Cwmcrachen.

This new site in Lower Cwmcrachen includes land currently known as the Lewis Skips.

The report states the Lewis site has recently been repossessed by the local authority and plans are in place as part of a separate project to clear the site of the large accumulation of waste and clean up in 2018.

The preferred option for a fully serviced new mobile home pitch including amenity block is estimated to cost £150k, and this is the maximum per pitch that Welsh Government has indicated that it will grant-aid.

The report states a new site with 28 pitches could be funded up to £4.2 million by Welsh Government.

The council currently has £90,000 available to help fund the minimum capping works at the contaminated area between the Lewis site and the existing site.

The council's environment, regeneration and economic scrutiny committee will take place later today.