RESIDENTS of a Gwent village are putting their money where their mouth is to try to save an historic farm.

Locals in Gilwern, near Abergavenny, want to buy Ty Mawr Farm from Monmouthshire council and turn it into a community-run business.

Earlier this year, the council announced it was to sell the farm to raise cash as part of a wider programme of asset-release. But at a public meeting held last week, more than 100 residents got together to decide how they could best preserve the farm.

Now a questionnaire is to be sent to all 3,000 households in the area to gauge support for a community buy-out. Councillor Simon Howarth is leading the proposal.

He said: "Ty Mawr has a tremendous place in this area's history. It was once the site of the old borstal, although the house was demolished a few years ago. It is also a great area of natural beauty and people don't want to lose that to development."

Part of Ty Mawr was an approved school complex before the council sold much of the land and buildings a decade ago. Until April this year the farm had been rented out on a short-lease basis.

It currently stands empty. But under the community's proposals it would be converted into a community education and leisure facility. Among the suggested activities are a community farm, caravan park, golf centre and horse-riding centre.

Councillor Howarth said: "I've received hundreds of suggestions about what we could do with the farm.

"Once the results of the questionnaire are in, and if they show support for the scheme, we can start putting together a business plan. The first of the questionnaires are due to be distributed next week."

The community then has until the end of the year to submit a business plan to Monmouthshire council. If the community buy-out were to go ahead it would be the first scheme of its kind in Monmouthshire.

Councillor Howarth said: "We have to give it a go, at least then we will know we have tried.

"And hopefully we can encourage other communities to try and do the same too. We shouldn't let these kind of community assets be sold to private owners, because once they're gone, they're gone forever."

Monmouthshire council would not comment.