A GRADE II listed building in Newport is to be turned into a crisis centre for victims of rape and sexual abuse.

As previously reported by South Wales Argus,Rothbury House, in Stow Park Circle, was bought at an auction last Thursday (June 13) for a whopping £335,000.

It has now been revealed that the derelict building, which is more than a century old and has been empty for 13 years, was bought by New Pathways, a charity which offers counselling and specialist services to women, men and children who’ve endured rape or sexual abuse.

The charity currently has 10 offices throughout Wales, including Maple Tree Centre on Newport’s High Street and Laburnum House on Tredegar Street in Risca.

Deputy Chief Executive, Mike Wilkinson, said: “We currently have a Newport base on High Street.

“It’s quite busy there though, whereas Rothbury House offers a quiet space. It’s a big building, with three storeys, but we’ll certainly use the space.

“It’s in an ideal location, as it’s fairly easy get to, but not too hectic. Whether Maple Tree Centre will stay open is still to be determined.

“Our clients have been through some horrendous things and this venue, like all our venues, will focus on helping them to recover.

“That’s the most important thing for us – we want the best for our clients because they deserve it.”

The sale should be finalised within the next two weeks, with Mr Wilkinson hoping that the refurbishment of the building will be complete within 12 to 18 months.

“As you can imagine, after 13 years of being empty, Rothbury House is not in a great state,” added Mr Wilkinson.

“But it’s not too bad; the building is structurally sound. Our first priority will be to fix the leaky roof and make the building watertight to avoid it deteriorating.”

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Rothbury House was formerly a nursing home, opened in 1993, but the owner closed it in 2006 due to running costs, but Mr Wilkinson said these costs are always a ‘challenge’ for charities and they’ll try to minimise costs by ensuring the building is well insulated and eco-friendly.

The House was previously bought by brothers Pasquale and Sergio Cinotti, owners of Gemelli restaurant in Spytty Retail Park and Gem 42 on Bridge Street, who planned to turn it into a boutique hotel.

But, in May, they put the building back up for auction for “personal reasons.”

Before this announcement, some residents were concerned about the impact which the development would have on the area, but Mr Wilkinson added: “The auction was last Thursday and on Saturday we went to talk with neighbours.

“They won’t notice we’re there and seem genuinely pleased about the plans for the building.

"We will need to get planning permission for change of use but I can't imagine that will be a problem."

To find out more about New Pathways visit their website at newpathways.org.uk