Senior councillors approve £750k funding for regeneration projects across borough

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 removeable bollards in Caerphilly town centre, improvements to Bargoed town centre’s royal square, and pavement widening at Blackwood high street.

At a meeting on Wednesday, October 19, cabinet members agreed to put £450,000 towards the new market, which is proposed for Park Lane in Caerphilly.

The new market will have up to 25 stalls, four office spaces, and communal areas for customers of the bars and restaurants. The development of the market is subject to Welsh Government funding and planning permission.

Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Jamie Pritchard, said the market would “really make a difference to Caerphilly regeneration” and added that feedback on the plans were mainly positive.

A boutique hotel was originally set to be built at Park Lane. 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”.

Cabinet also agreed that £46,985 from the Community Infrastructure Levy be allocated to reopening a council-owned car park in Pontymister.

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”.

The funding was unanimously approved by the cabinet.