Neath Port Talbot Council has said no decisions have yet been made on the future of a popular community centre based at the heart of Pontardawe, despite recent speculation. The local authority agreed to find a new use for the local Cross Community Enterprise Centre in the Swansea Valley town at a meeting earlier this year, when its lease was handed back by an independent operator who was unable to continue with it.
The site is at the junction of Herbert Street and High Street where it has been used for "many years" as a community centre and office accommodation for local businesses. The three-floor building was leased out to an independent operator in 2015, however a council spokesperson said that in 2023 it "became clear the operator could no longer continue and the lease was surrendered with council officers working to help the tenants secure alternative suitable accommodation."
However, calls for clarity over the future of the building have been made by members of the public, after scaffolding was erected at the site with speculation that the building could be re-purposed for emergency accommodation for people on bail awaiting trial. A council spokesperson responded to the claims this week saying that so far no decisions have yet been made on the future of the building, with any potential decisions first having to be subjected to a public consultation.
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A spokesperson for Neath Port Talbot Council said: "We understand there have been concerns regarding the scaffolding which has recently been erected and would like to reassure the community this is due to the need for immediate repair works to the roof to protect the building. As with all surplus council buildings, officers have been looking at the feasibility of various opportunities for future uses.
"These could include options such as a business centre, accommodation, or other community-focused uses. At this point in time, no decisions have been made and any potential decision would be subject to public consultation.
"We would however like to clarify that there is no intention for the council to use this building to provide emergency accommodation to people on bail awaiting trial." Paul Rees, a resident of Pontardawe, said the future of the building was very important to a lot of people in the area due to its history and visible location on the high street.
He said: "Pontardawe is a fantastic little town with a great community heart and we want this iconic building to be used for something that reflects that positive nature. There's been a lot of speculation from the community in recent weeks and it would be useful to the public if they could be regularly updated by councillors on the situation, because where there is a lack of information people fill in the blanks themselves."
A report also published by Neath Port Talbot Council in August has previously said that the costs of bringing the premises back up to a "suitable standard for its existing use" could eventually be in excess of £500,000. For the latest Neath Port Talbot news sign up to our newsletter here.