Monmouthshire Housing Association is consulting with residents over the future of Trevor Bowen Court.

The sheltered housing scheme was the subject of an appraisal last year and the association is keen to bring all of its facilities into the 21st Century.

One Monmouth town councillor has already voiced concerns over the long-term future of the building.

David Morris, director of housing and communities at Monmouthshire Housing Association, said: "Closure is one of the stock options that came from appraisals of all of our accomodation by an independent consultant last year.

"We have had the results back now and one option for Trevor Bowen Court is to look at the future of the building, whether we keep it, demolish it or refurbish it.

"We had a meeting with tenants at the end of last year and are starting to consult with them during this month.

"We have mostly bedsits – many with shared bathrooms – facilities which are inappropriate for accomodation in the 21st Century.

"We will be having meetings with residents on an individual basis and have invited any friends, relatives or carers they feel should be present to be there.

"Trevor Bowen Court is a 56-unit scheme and we currently have 21 voids.

"Nobody wants to move into bedsits, particularly with shared facilities, and providing good quality accomodation fit for the 21st Century is important to us."

Councillor John Fletcher, who represents Overmonnow, said he was against "knocking the place down".

"I'm convinced refurbishments can be made, there is plenty of room either side of the building to modernise without knocking it down," he added.

"I've spoken to the residents and they do not want to leave.

"Two bedsits have already been modernised, they were completed a couple of years ago.

"I feel that if it was knocked down it won't go back, and I don't want it to go the same way as Drybridge House."

At Monmouth Town Council's Community Affairs Committee on Monday (10th January), a letter from a resident was handed to chairman Cllr Anthea Dewhurst.