Refurbishments To Begin On Oakdale Hotel

Refurbishment works are due to begin next month on the site of the former Oakdale Hotel; located in the historical mining village of Oakdale. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

An extensive refurbishment programme will see the three storey Grade II listed former public house transformed into 12 two and three bed social rented homes. The programme is being delivered through a partnership between Caerphilly County Borough Council, Pobl Group and Welsh Government. The completed homes will be managed by registered social landlord Charter – part of the Pobl Group and built by local contractors M & J Cosgrove. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Oakdale and Penmaen Community Partnership have also been heavily involved in the plans for the building and continue to work closely with the council and Pobl. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Over £1.7 million will be invested into the programme, which includes a contribution of just over £1 million from Welsh Government’s Social Housing Grant fund. Works are expected to be completed in autumn 2018. The development forms part of a wider regeneration programme in Oakdale, which has included, in recent years, the upgrading of external facades to both private and council owned homes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Historically, Oakdale was designed as a model village by the owners of the Tredegar Iron and Coal Company. The village, in contrast to others in the area, was built away from the mine, among green fields. The Oakdale Hotel was built so that directors of the Tredegar Iron and Coal Company would have somewhere suitable to stay near the colliery. The hotel was also used for entertaining visitors and holding Board meetings. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Shaun Couzens, the council’s Chief Housing Officer, said “Oakdale Hotel is an important and historic building, situated in a prominent location within the centre of the village. The building has been derelict for a number of years and had become a magnet for anti-social behaviour. We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Pobl to bring the building back into use, whilst at the same time providing much needed affordable housing for local people.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Neil Taylor, Senior Project Manager at Pobl added, “We are excited to be involved in the redevelopment of the former Oakdale Hotel; bringing a historically important building back into beneficial use. Pobl continues to work closely with council officers and the local community to bring high quality homes to the area, whilst creating a thriving community.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​