MORE than £750,000 has been approved to fund regeneration projects across Caerphilly County Borough, including the new market plans.
Other projects include the installation of removable bollards in Caerphilly town centre, improvements to Bargoed town centre’s royal square, and pavement widening at Blackwood high street.
The authority's deputy leader Cllr Jamie Pritchard believes the regeneration plans will ‘breath new into the high street.’
Cllr Jamie Pritchard, deputy leader of Caerphilly Council said: “This funding package is an investment in towns and demonstrates our signal of intent to deliver regeneration.
“We will continue to deliver improvements across the county borough to enhance our local communities.”
“Projects such as the new market proposal in Caerphilly will help breathe new life into the high street and provide a much-needed boost to the local economy.”
The developments planned:
New Caerphilly market proposal
£450,000 has been secured for the new “attractive” market, which could go where Specsavers once stood in Caerphilly town centre.
New market planned for Caerphilly town centre picture: Caerphilly County Borough Council
The proposal - subject to Welsh Government funding and planning permission - would create the new market on Park Lane.
The new market will have 28 permanent stalls – seven of which will be bars or restaurants – in addition to outdoor space for 15 pop-up stalls.
Transforming Town Centres
As part of the Welsh Governments Transforming Towns Placemaking programme £111,000 has been secured.
This money will go towards several schemes including improving public spaces in Bargoed and Blackwood town centre.
Dafydd Williams Park, Caerphilly will also be improved.
Pontymister Car Park
Almost £50,000 has been secured to re-open the disused former car park.
It is hoped that the re-opening will ‘help revitalise the local economy.’
Cllr Philippa Leonard, who represents Risca East, asked if the car park would be closed overnight as the area has existing problems with “boy racers”.
Boutique hotel
A boutique hotel was originally set to be built at Park Lane, where the market is set to be built. At the meeting, council leader Sean Morgan said: “We still have ambitions for the hotel.”
The report presented to cabinet stated that a bigger hotel for approximately 60-80 guests is now on the cards. It’s new location will be in the “leisure quarter” included in the council’s Caerphilly 2035 masterplan.
Hamish Munro, placemaking programme manager at the council, said there is “a very good demand for a town centre hotel”.
As part of the regeneration projects, the council has also said it intends to purchase Blackwood’s public toilets because it is currently at risk of becoming an “eyesore”.
Additional reporting: Rhiannon James - Local Democracy Reporter
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