A LOCAL pressure group has relaunched a campaign to get The Hill Educational Centre in Abergavenny reopened.

At last week's Bryn y Cwm Area committee meeting David Haswell, a spokesman for Abergavenny Development Forum, suggested to members that any expenditure saved on the demolition of the County Hall in Croesyceiliog should be spent on buying back The Hill.

Councillor Simon Howarth added further fuel to the debate by suggesting that the authority could set aside some of the funds from the sale of the social services unit at Coed Glas towards the repurchase.

Mr Haswell added: "Having worked at County Hall in Cwmbran it was often said that there was a nuclear bunker in the bowels of this building. It may have been referenced in a jovial manner, but people believed it existed.

"We've since been told that there isn't a nuclear bunker underneath this building, So, if it doesn't exist, why has there been a cost implication for its removal factored into the demolition project?

"I understand that the demolition project is likely to come in under budget and I feel that any savings should be put into funding to buy back The Hill Educational Centre in Abergavenny.

"I understand that the sale of the building to a national developer for housing is not a done deal and I wonder if members could explore the possibility of saving the centre for the people of Abergavenny?".

Chris Edmondson, chairman of Bryn y Cwm Community Forum said: "The Hill was bequeathed to the people of Abergavenny for educational use. Over the years a succession of councillors have diminished this by handing over the reins of the building to Coleg Gwent in 1996 and later lifting the educational covenant that had been bestowed on it.

"It seems the potential of this former public building being reused as an adult education centre could once again be realised."

It is believed that The Hill building is valued in the region of £650,000 but Coleg Gwent has suggested that the whole site is valued at around £2million.

Councillor James George added: "It is us, local councillors, that got us into this mess in the first place and we need to resolve the situation for the benefit of the local community."

Bryn y Cwm Area committee members are to visit the site of The Hill centre on Friday, May 17.

Irena Morgan chairman of the group looking after the historic building's listed garden, said: "The Friends of Gardd-y-Bryn are working towards restoring the once-magnificent walled garden and are keen to see an early solution to secure its future.

"The gardens have been registered by Cadw, the Welsh Heritage body because of their historical importance, partly because of the association with the co-founder of the Royal Horticulture Society, John Wedgwood."

Cllr Bob Greenland, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member with responsibility for regeneration said: "Monmouthshire County Council is clear, and our agreed Capital Budget reflects this, that all capital receipts for the foreseeable future will be directed towards the project to rebuild our secondary schools. This will of course include King Henry VIII school. We will need every pound we can bring in from the sale of surplus assets and other savings we can make."

He added: "We have a clear commitment to bring our secondary schools up to 21st Century standards and that's where the council has agreed that our capital receipts will go. We have also rationalised our estate through innovative working methods and are currently disposing of surplus buildings to save money for front line services and raise money for the 21st Century Schools project. In that context we have no mandate to buy another building and we do not have the budget to pay for annual running costs or maintenance.

"The idea that we are going to save money on the demolition costs of the old County Hall because there is no nuclear bunker there is fanciful. Due to the underground services and car parks there will be a huge hole that will have to be filled and it may be necessary to import material to do that. Even if the demolition costs are less than budgeted, there will be many calls for that surplus to be deployed elsewhere."