Abergavenny could finally be getting a new community hub, after original plans for a £3.4m state-of-the-art library were shelved by Monmouthshire County Council last year.

Council officials have said that the new hub, a one-stop shop and library, is likely to be built into the town hall, but work is still in the earliest stages.

Deb Hill-Howells, head of community-led delivery at MCC, said, “The council commissioned specialist architects to develop a solution to locate the new hub, into the town hall.

“These plans have now been shared with existing users of the building. They are broadly in support of locating the hub in the Town Hall.

“They see this as an opportunity to improve and safeguard its long-term future,” she said.

Mrs Hill-Howells added that discussion was ongoing.

The town hall currently houses council offices, Abergavenny Town Council and the Borough Theatre.

Plans for the new hub will be on display at the Town Hall and library in the near future.

Early suggestions included converting the current call centre area and creating a mezzanine floor over the Victorian market hall to increase accomodation.

The original 2010 plan was to splash £3.4m on the design and build of a new library building, with capital budget funds safeguarded for the site.

MCC canned the venture in March last year, after admitting budget constraints would not cover an additional £60,000 in overhead costs of the proposed building.

The decision was welcomed at the time, by many councillors, who said that the local community has persistently spoken out against moving the library and the one-stop-shop out of town.