Thirty-eight new energy-efficient homes are set to be built on the site of Caerphilly town’s former magistrates’ court.
The affordable homes are being built by housing association Linc-Cymru and the project has been led by Cardiff-based architects Childs and Sulzmann.
The £5 million project will be the largest development in Wales to incorporate the German Passivhaus energy efficiency standard.
Passivhaus or ‘Passive House’ is centred on the concept of building an air-tight house and using mechanical ventilation.
Keri Harding-Jones, Project Manager for Linc-Cymru, said: “This project will provide affordable homes for our residents in a sustainable location.
“The energy saving and improved internal air quality measures provided by Passivhaus will help reduce fuel poverty and improve tenant health by eliminating damp and mould.
“We are delighted that the scheme received planning and can move forward to a site start.”
The project will start on site in April 2018 with an anticipated completion date of January 2019.
Planning permission was recently granted pending a Section 106 agreement, where Linc-Cymru will pay £15,600 towards a minibus service for elderly residents of the development.
Matt Parsons, of Childs and Sulzmann, added: “This is an exciting project that will really fulfil a need in Wales for low energy affordable housing. It’s a way of ensuring that those who can least afford to pay high energy bills are living in comfortable, warm, quality homes and it will have enormous environmental benefits too.”
The former Caerphilly Magistrates’ Court has been empty since the decision to close the building was taken back in 2015.
The Ministry of Justice said at the time that it was too costly to repair the building, which is on Mountain Road.
Defendants now appear at either Newport or Cwmbran magistrates.
I like the technology but I’m saddened that the people in power don’t think a town the size of caerffili does not need a magistrates court. In the last six years the prople of this town have lost their hospital, their police station and their court – all aspects of a proper town community – these facilities have now been relocated to the Newport area
It’s sad to see such a great town, have it’s services taken away from us and in return we have see a new white elephant hospital that can do very little and a talking shop of a police station which again offers very little. Sad times indeed
The services that we lose will never return sadly – it is a one way process.
I also believe that we will lose even more services if the City Deal is implemented,despite the promises of more jobs and investment.
I thought the new site for 55 yrs &older people no dogs allowed??
Well I was told the same also it would be for over 55 year olds