£500k building restoration in Tredegar saves an historic building, celebrates the history of the NHS and provides a much-needed stimulus to the town

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is celebrating after purchasing 10 the Circle in Tredegar; the building that was once home to the Tredegar Medical Aid Society that Aneurin Bevan, Minister for Health and Housing in 1945, used as the blueprint for the creation of the NHS.

Raising the £500K needed to convert the property into a heritage, education and training centre, thanks to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust its rich history and the unique contribution it has made to Tredegar will continue for generations to come.

With previous experience of delivering successful regeneration projects in Tredegar, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust has provided match-funding to grants from The Heritage Lottery Fund, Townscape Heritage Initiative; Welsh Government and EU Funds from the Building for the Future programme and Blaenau Gwent CBC Property Enhancement Grant, permitting the restoration of the building to proceed.

The building will shortly undergo external and internal conservation and sensitive refurbishment, with plans to create a multi-use facility with ground floor heritage space which will promote the history of the NHS, Aneurin Bevan and Tredegar with complementary space for education, training and community use.

Head of Operations for the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (Wales), Alun Taylor, comments:

“Since having been invited to take on this important project in 2017, it has been a struggle to raise all the funding and in the last few months a race against time to prevent the building being sold at auction and lost to the community.

“However, thanks to the ongoing commitment and financial support from the board of trustees at the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, and the enthusiastic support of partners, we have pressed ahead to purchase the building before all the funding was in place.

“Thankfully we are now ready to make this project a reality and to help tell the story of the NHS and Aneurin Bevan for all.

“Working alongside partners including Tredegar Local History Museum, Adult Learning Wales and local schools and town and county councils we can bring this neglected property back to life, supporting the regeneration of the area and creating an asset that can be used for generations to come.

“We want to give people a space they can work, learn and celebrate the history of Tredegar and the NHS and help regenerate the town centre.”

This exciting project is now a key component of the Local Authority’s Aneurin Bevan Destination Management Plan, which will play an important role in signposting to other sites of historic interest in Blaenau Gwent including Bedwellty House and Gardens; Bryn Bach Park and the Aneurin Bevan Stones to name but a few.

Executive Member for Regeneration and Economic Development at Blaenau Gwent Council, Cllr. Dai Davies welcomed this development.

He comments:

“This is excellent news that the grant to redevelop 10 the Circle has been granted to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

“This project forms part of the ongoing development of work in Tredegar and will become an integral part of the wider development of Blaenau Gwent as a visitor destination. We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for the benefit of our Communities; helping to secure historic buildings, restoring much needed facilities and creating employment.”

Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, Hannah Blythyn comments:

“I’m pleased to see how our funding through the Building For the Future programme is helping to breathe new life into old buildings.

“This architecturally important building, which has served the community for so long, will enable local people to come together and act as the social heart of the Tredegar community.

“We want to support our town centres to ensure they are attractive, vibrant places for people to live, work and visit – and I look forward to seeing this project flourish and grow.

For further details about the Coalfields Regeneration Trust please visit, www.coalfields-regen.org.uk and for regular updates follow @CoalfieldsRegen.