A COMMUNITY centre in Risca has been forced to close down after the local council deemed the building's location as a prime spot for a new housing development. 

Numerous community groups who were based at or held events at the Risca Youth and Community Centre on Brooklands Road had been fighting to keep the centre open amidst the possibility of more houses being built on the land by Caerphilly Council. 

The uncertainty over where the groups might find a new home had been ongoing since August, with groups such as the Cross Keys Bowls Club and Community Volunteers Wales now left without a space for their events. 

Councillor for Risca West ward, Bob Owen had been fighting alongside volunteer groups such as Community Volunteers Wales to keep the site open, but only managed to get a temporary extension of usage for the day users that lasted from September to December. 

The community groups have shared with Cllr Owen how "extremely disappointed" they have been with the way Caerphilly County Borough Council have communicated with them in regards to the closure. 

They were eventually served a notice in writing to vacate the building, which is now permanently closed and soon to be boarded up. 

Cllr Owen feels his attempts to save the community centre for its users have "fallen on deaf ears". 

He said: "My best efforts to keep it open only temporarily to allow the day users to remain there until a final decision is taken on the centre has fallen on deaf ears, although we did manage to get an extension of usage for an extra three months."

"I am disappointed to say the least and I have made this known to the council’s CMT (corporate management team), and I have requested a cost comparison of keeping it available for the day users versus the full cost of the shut-down but I am yet to receive anything back from them."

It is as of yet unknown if Caerphilly Council will be going ahead with the planned housing development on the land. 

Caerphilly Council has not responded to request for comment.