THREE Caerphilly buildings will be getting a boost – thanks to a new investment.

Two buildings in Caerphilly town centre and one in Blackwood will be benefitting from the £680,909 investment.

The funds, intended to bring new life to vacant and under-utilised buildings, come from the Welsh Government’s targeted regeneration urban centre funds programme, and are distributed by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Regeneration Project Board and Business Enterprise Renewal Team.

Blackwood’s former Store 21 building on the high street will be given funding of £250,000 to provide a major mixed use commercial and residential development. It will transform the building into a modern premises, with five retail units on the first floor and residential apartments on the upper floors.

Caerphilly Miners Centre has also been given £250,000 to renovate the unused, derelict second floor of the building – which previously housed the Caerphilly and District Miners Hospital. It will redevelop up to 175 squared metres of floorspace and create a co-working hub for up to 10 small business enterprises with improved user access.

The centre’s Katherine Hughes said: “Providing opportunities for local enterprises to deliver services to our community from the Miners will greatly enhance what we are able to contribute to the local economy – as well as supporting community wellbeing and sustainability. The funding will enable our much-needed restoration project to go ahead and is much appreciated.”

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The remaining £180,909 will be given to Brew Monster Ltd at Lon Y Twyn to renovate the old Plumbsave unit into a brand-new high specification brewhouse and microbrewery.

Half of the building will be used as a brewery bar, serving craft beer and food, at the same time as offering customers a 270 degree view of the brewhouse.

The developers hope it will become a much-utilised community hub and respected tourist destination.

Brew Monster managing director Glenn White said: “We are enormously grateful to the Caerphilly Regeneration Team for the support. The team were pivotal in our decision to relocate our business to Caerphilly and with their help we are creating one of the UK’s best microbreweries and most unique brewery bars, whilst creating jobs, supporting the local economy and putting Caerphilly back on the map as a destination for great beer.”

Caerphilly County Borough Council cabinet member with responsibility for the economy, Cllr Sean Morgan, said: “I am thrilled that we were able to award significant funding to allow these three buildings to be transformed and brought back into community use. The place shaping framework is absolutely essential as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic to provide hope to residents by demonstrating our commitment to reviving towns and villages across the county borough.”