A REVAMP of Torfaen’s busiest library has taken a step forward with a contract for its new design and fitting out awarded. 

The borough council was granted Welsh Government funding to refurbish and modernise Cwmbran Library in June with the intention of bringing together a range of services under one roof supporting the authority’s “wellbeing agenda”. 

An overhaul of the floorspace will see a new teenage library and a more prominent health and wellbeing area created and digital services enhanced with a “tablet bar” and more power points for people to work and study as well as information screens. 

It is also intended to provide a better space for large-scale community activities including events with health and wellbeing partners. 

The contract, which also includes new furniture, is to be awarded to WF Education Group, following an open tender exercise, and its total value is £225,000, exclusive of VAT. Once the design is agreed the contract value will be fixed and will not exceed that amount. 

The Gwent House branch, in the centre of Cwmbran, is the strategic library for Torfaen and 27,500 of the borough’s 38,7000 registered library users are members of Cwmbran Library that opens for 40.45 hours a week over five days. 

The Welsh Government has provided £300,000 from its Transformation Capital Grant towards the renovation with Torfaen council putting in £127,000. 

Detailed plans are due to go on display before Christmas while work could start in the new year with the library closed for around four weeks for renovations to take place. 

Construction firm Gleeds has been appointed to manage the project and the design and fit out was awarded following receipt of three tenders from contractors judged on a 60 per cent quality and 40 per cent cost basis.