Nearly half a million pounds is to be invested into Cwmbran Library next year.

The Welsh Government has announced it will provide a £300,000 Transformation Capital Grant towards the renovation, with an additional £127,000 from Torfaen Council.

Detailed plans will now be drawn up and are expected to go on public display before Christmas.

Cllr Peter Jones, Executive Member for Corporate Governance and Resources, said:

“Cwmbran Library is a fantastic community facility that is already well used by thousands of people every month.

“This summer, more than 900 children took part in our annual reading challenge with many coming into the library every week to borrow books.

“We hope this new investment will help to modernise the facilities and attract even more visitors. We hope people will come and see the plans when they’re ready and tell us what they think.”

Welsh Government Minister for Culture, Jack Sargeant, said: “This significant £300,000 Transformation Capital Grant investment in Cwmbran Library marks an exciting new chapter for the community.

“Libraries remain vital hubs for lifelong learning, public engagement, and personal growth. These renovations will help modernise the space whilst preserving its role as a welcoming and accessible resource for all and I look forward to seeing how these improvements rejuvenate this essential local facility.”

The renovation is expected to include a reconfiguration of the existing space to provide more opportunities for agile working and study, a new teenage library and designated health and well-being and information and advice areas. New furniture and digital facilities will modernise the space and enhance the customer experience.

Work is due to start in the New Year and it’s expected the library will be closed for around four weeks for the refurbishment work to take place. Plans are being developed to mitigate the impact of the temporary closure and more detail on this will be provided well in advance.

The funding follows Welsh Government investment in Pontypool and Blaenavon Libraries. A £300,000 Community Learning Libraries Capital Development was given to Pontypool Library in 2011 and £100,000 was provided when Blaenavon Library was moved into the World Heritage Centre in 2015.

The library renovation will form part of wider plans to improve Gwent House over the next couple of years.

The UK Government’s Long Term Plan for Towns programme is currently on hold pending the government’s Autumn Budget statement. However, a vision and investment framework has been prepared following consultation over the summer.

A separate consultation on attracting wider long-term investment in Cwmbran is due to take place in a few weeks.