ABERGAVENNY Magistrates' Court has been saved from closure.

The courthouse faced the axe as part of plans by the Ministry of Justice to modernise the courts estate across England and Wales.

However, after a consultation by the Lord Chancellor, it was announced this Tuesday that the court in Tudor Street will remain open.

Monmouth MP David Davies (pictured) has welcomed the news that Abergavenny Magistrates' Court has been saved from closure.

Speaking from Westminster, Mr Davies, who lobbied hard to defend the proposed closure told the Chronicle, "This really is excellent news and it's clear the Lord Chancellor has looked very carefully at the case for retaining Abergavenny Magistrates' Court. 

"I received a great deal of correspondence from constituents asking for my support against these proposals and I'm delighted the consultation was genuinely a consultation and not just a paper exercise.

"I spoke to Ministers both in and out of the House of Commons' Chamber and made the point on several occasions that it would not be good value for money to close the court in Abergavenny after £550,000 was recently spent refurbishing and upgrading it.

"I also asked for Monmouthshire's rurality to be taken into consideration.

"If the court closed, then defendants and witnesses would have been required to travel to either Hereford or Newport to obtain justice. For those reliant on public transport, this could have meant at least two separate journeys in an area where buses are infrequent and slow."