Community venue plans for school

The new community facility is planned for the site of a secondary school

A new £13m state-of-the-art "community campus" is being planned in Powys which is set to include a secondary school, a 350-seat public hall and a cinema.

Powys Council said the venue would be built on the site of Ysgol Bro Ddyfi in Machynlleth, which officials say is in need of renovation.

As well as a school, other amenities such as a youth centre, an internet cafe and a public library are proposed. In January, work started on a £1.1m centre for students in Machynlleth.

This two-storey building is being constructed on the site of the old canteen at Ysgol Bro Ddyfi.

Powys council has agreed to work with the Welsh Assembly Government to find the £13m needed for the latest new building, which will be called the Dyfi Valley Community Campus.

'Strong desire'

The local authority is excited about the project and said it wanted to establish a "world class bilingual resource".

Coun David Jones, who has responsibility for schools, said they aimed to provide residents with learning, community and social care services "in an easily accessible one-stop shop".

He added: "Both the Welsh assembly and Powys County Council have a strong desire to see the delivery of services in a more co-ordinated way.

"We know that this means delivering services in a different way and working with a variety of agencies but it is essential to deliver the standards of service the public demands."

A spokesman for the Welsh Assembly Government said: "This exciting collaborative project could become the model for future community initiatives not just in Powys but across Wales."