A GWENT town's dreams of getting a multi-screen cinema could soon be realised after years of disappointment.

Plans for an eight-screen cinema in Cwmbran have been submitted to Torfaen council, and council chiefs say they're confident it will succeed where five other applications have failed.

We reported on Wednesday how plans for an ambitious regeneration for the town over the next ten years, worth up to £100,000,000, have been unveiled.

The cinema plans, drafted by Mint Blue developers, of Cardiff, would form part of that ambitious revamp, claim planning bosses, by kick-starting a further influx of new restaurants and cafs in and around the town centre.

"Within the context of that development, this is the sort of thing we want to bring to Cwmbran - it's important for the town to expand its facilities," said Duncan Smith, Torfaen's assistant director for the environment.

He added: "We are currently consulting on the application, which should be ready to be considered by the planning committee by May.

"We have already had five similar applications, but the difference this time is that the developer actually owns the land."

The application includes plans for a bar and restaurant next to the cinema, which would be sited on a former car park, between Cwmbran Centre for Young People and Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre.

The land was bought by Mint Blue about 12 months ago. It's understood the company is in the process of attracting a multi-screen operator to back the project.

Previous applications for leisure and cinema use passed for the site fell through because the developer involved was unable to attract an operator. Mr Smith told the Argus the council has worked hard on selling the potential of Cwmbran to potential new businesses.

"We have done a lot of work to show Cwmbran is central and has pulling power across South Wales," he said.

"If we can get this project off the ground it will show Cwmbran has a wider appeal, and would be the first stage in our regeneration plans."