THE site of a former young offenders' centre could become a housing development.

Members of Torfaen's Cabinet committee have been urged by council officers to put the former Mill House Treatment Centre off Hollybush Way, Coed Eva, Cwmbran, for sale for residential development.

They will meet on Wednesday to discuss the idea, having put back their meeting from Tuesday as a mark of respect for the Queen Mother's funeral that day.

A report by the principal valuer at the council's technical consultancy division recommended the sale of the derelict building and nearby land to provide an access route from Hollybush Way.

But residents in nearby Bryn Milwr and Cefn Milwr, ward member Colette Thomas - the mayor of Torfaen - and Cwmbran community council all expressed concern at the proposals.

Sixty-seven objectors handed a petition to the authority, claiming the development would rob them of open space, increase traffic, noise and pollution, destroy wildlife and prompt a deluge of further development on the surrounding land.

Peter Malynn, of Bryn Milwr, said: "This application really makes me very angry. I have no objection to building houses, I object to the density. They want an access road off Hollybush Way, but I don't know how they can even contemplate it."

Two-storey Mill House was originally built as secure accommodation for female young offenders, but was closed down and given planning permission for conversion to offices in 1986. Social services used it until 1996, but since then it - and two former dwellings on the 1.2-hectare site - has lain vacant, attracting interest from housebuilders.

However, access is through narrow Coed Eva Mill, which has no footpaths and is deemed unsuitable for a housing estate, necessitating the creation of the new access route.

The report stated: "It is felt that the proposed scheme will bring about the beneficial use of the Mill House site, which otherwise would remain an overgrown and deteriorating property. This should be balanced against the loss of a very small proportion of the large area of public open space at this location.

"In taking account of all objections raised, it is considered that these are insufficient to outweigh the general presumption in favour of sale, which will ensure the beneficial redevelopment of the Mill House site."