The new St Michael’s Centre project will provide a community building which will primarily be used for training purposes, on the site of the old church hall, in the heart of the transitional wards of Cantref, Priory, Mardy and Lansdown.The building will provide a strategically based venue to sustain a vibrant community allowing for the provision of:

• additional training activities and networking at a community and small business level in order to increase skill levels and assist economic development and community regeneration.
• additional support services to disadvantaged groups in transitional areas of local deprivation
• additional cultural events and exhibitions to promote local festivals and contribute to the development of tourism

The old single story, wooden church hall has provided a thriving secular community centre and cultural venue for the past 25 years but is now substandard and unfit for the intended purpose. It has limited access for disabled users and limited space and resources to accommodate the development of innovative ideas and expansion of activities.

The new build layout will provide:

1. Ground floor

• Reception / lobby area with dedicated computer terminal linking with local websites for information plus display space to promote both Centre activities and other agency promotional material and information.
• Fully equipped kitchen with space to accommodate demonstration training / work experience for economically inactive individuals, and to provide catering facilities for community based activities eg community / computer café, seminars, training and other Centre events etc. The establishment of a community café will pave the way for the development of a sustainable community enterprise.
• Open floor area, in total 120sq ms, providing areas of 25sq ms and 95sq ms (which can be divided into 39sq ms & 56 sq ms to be used simultaneously) to accommodate open meetings, seminars, events, exhibitions, workshops or occasional performances. The space will be equipped with sliding, sound proofed partition to accommodate two concurrently running training sessions / workshops or other Centre activities as appropriate.
• Fully equipped toilets and disabled access
• Lift to first floor for disabled access
• Storage space for training / exhibition equipment – display boards, flip charts, screens, overhead projector and other required training resources, plus stacking tables and chairs for use of building to develop community / computer café and restaurant facility.

2. First floor

• Meeting / training / workshop room( 3.7x6,6 sq ms) to accommodate groups of approx 12. Can be used for separate activities or as an extension to lower floor activities.
• Office space (2.5x2.4ms) for Centre manager, with computer, photocopier and fax facility for Centre use.
• The building will have networked laptop computers, and printers utilised for training activities. The building will be broadband enabled.

4. Use of materials

Building materials will include stonework and a Welsh slate roof, locally resourced, to

complement the nearby church, a Grade 2 listed building.

5. A Patio area and hard landscaping

Hard landscaping (flagstone / cobble) will link the centre with the nearby listed church building;

the main hall of the Centre will open out onto a pleasant outdoor secure patio area.