THE new Gwent Archives office is preparing to open to the public next month from its new home in Ebbw Vale.

Gwent Record Office closed its doors at County Hall in Cwmbran and will now operate from the Steelworks General Office on the site of the former Ebbw Vale Steelworks, renamed Gwent Archives.

The project is being funded by Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire and Newport councils.

It moved into part of the Grade II listed building on August 22 and is preparing to open to the public on October 24.

Multiple deliveries of documents have arrived every day since the move last month with around 10,000 boxes and packages delivered in the first ten working days.

The new site will also be home to the Ebbw Vale Works Archive Trust and a large collection of Board of Guardians records which were previously inaccessible.

According to a report for the Gwent Joint Records Committee, which met last week, the project currently remains within budget.

The cost of the development is expected to total £4,549,985, which would be the worst case scenario.

The report also currently estimates one-off costs such as ICT hardware and software, relocation and removal costs, furniture and fit out costs, to total £520,000.

The report explains how there will be a number of technological improvements at the new site, including wi-fi coverage throughout the building with access to the internet for the public, laptops for loan to users in the research room, debit and credit card payment facilities and an interactive white board in the group room.

Anewwebsite is also being set up to coincide with the relaunch of the service and will be completed by the end of October.