Owen Meredith, the Conservative candidate for Caerphilly in May’s Assembly elections has welcomed proposals by Caerphilly County Borough Council to create a heritage site in the town centre.
Plans unveiled by the council will see a new building on the site of the former Post Office near Twyn Square.
The development is expected to include a library, a council customer service centre, a heritage centre and Gwent Police.
Mr Meredith said: “This is the kind of development Caerphilly needs. In fact, I wrote to the council just last week asking them why the town centre had been allowed to become collection of empty and unsightly premises. I pushed them to take action on the Co-Co Discount and Post Office sites in a way that would maximise the tourism potential of the town centre and capture some of the heritage of Caerphilly on the high street.”
However, Mr Meredith criticised the decision to spend taxpayer’s money on a new building.
He said: “This is the right idea, but I am not sure the current plans make the most of what we have. I would rather see the existing site redeveloped, at a smaller cost and retaining its history, rather than knocked down and rebuilt as seems to be the proposal here.”
I'm sure everyone in Caerphilly will support the idea of a new library for the town, as there have been calls for it for some time already.
Unfortunately, these current proposals speak volumes about the lack of a clear and coherent vision for the town centre. The design is at best dissapointing, and it will be a real shame to watch on as Caerphilly passes up another chance of procuring a quality piece of civic architecture.
We have a Design Comission for Wales who are there to help CCBC in the delivery of the very best design, and it would be in the town's best interest if the current proposals were subjet to a design review. Their input has helped improve many well known building project throughout Wales, and I'm sure Caerphilly would also benefit from their valuable assistance.
So a Conservative has written just this week to the council.Ironically after the announcements have been made.You fool no one my friend with this cheap political gesture,I am pleased the Council is doing something for our town.
I loved the design those Councillors held up,it is certainly better than the plain square building block thats there now.The last government closed our Crown Post Office.