Summit to save Tredegar's historic buildings

Emergency repairs have been carried out at the National Coal Board Club

People in Tredegar are being urged to attend a "heritage summit" to discuss how to save the town's crumbling listed and historically significant buildings.

The National Coal Board Club and the old general hospital building are among those seen at risk.

Organisers of Wednesday's meeting say the hope it will galvanise the town into drawing up an action plan.

The town was the home of Aneurin Bevan, who created the National Health Service in 1948.

The summit has been called by the town council with representatives from the Welsh heritage agency Cadw, the Aneurin Bevan Health Board and Blaenau Gwent council due to attend.

Town council leader Malcolm Cross said: "Far from sitting back and waiting for our town to crumble we have set up this summit... to save our history and our heritage.

"We now need to work together to find solutions for all our buildings at risk.

"We need experts to survey and record them in case they get lost.

"We need to protect those that are of value and we need to secure funding to conserve those in use."

He said there was particular concern about the condition of a number of buildings in an area known as The Circle.

They include the National Coal Board (NCB) Club which was originally built as the town hall.

It was there a victorious Aneurin Bevan was returned as local MP in front of a rapturous crowd.

The old Tredegar Medical Aid Society building in the town centre is no longer in use

The stone facade of the listed building recently crumbled off and emergency repairs were carried out by the council, but the club is in receivership and the building's future uncertain.

Two other pubs in The Circle have been closed and need repairs. The building that housed Tredegar Medical Aid Society is no longer in use.

There are also concerns over the general hospital building that closed after the new Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan opened in Ebbw Vale last year.

Mr Cross said there were good news stories, with Blaenau Gwent council undertaking a £5.6m refurbishment of Bedwellty House and Park in the town.

The former ironmaster's residence is scheduled to reopen this year and will house the town's register office and become a heritage centre.

But he said it was important those interested in preserving the town attended the meeting.

It takes place at Tredegar Rugby club on Wednesday at 1900 GMT.