Hall will bring many benefits (From This is Hampshire)

Hall will bring many benefits

8:00am Saturday 20th March 2010 in

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THREE villages in north Hampshire could get a new community centre if a planning application is given the green light.

Newnham Parish Council wants to demolish Newnham Village Hall, in Newnham Road, and replace it with a modern £100,000 village hall.

If approved, the hall would largely serve the population of the Newnham parish, which includes Newnham itself, Nately Scures and Water End.

Roger Booth, chairman of Newnham Parish Council, told The Gazette: “The current hall is in a terrible condition and it is not used anywhere near as much as it should be.

“I am firmly of the opinion that if there’s a new hall it will give the opportunity to significantly improve the community spirit in the village.”

The application to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is the latest bid to replace the current hall, which is used by the parish council and some private events.

According to the planning application, the hall, built in 1954, is in a “very dilapidated state” and has structural problems with its walls and roof, which has been given support to prevent collapse.

The application reads: “The building is now considered to be at the end of its economic life and needs to be demolished.”

The planned hall would go on the same site, and like the current facility would be a single-storey building with a timber frame.

But the plans for the new hall include a greater number of toilets, space for a new kitchen area and a connection with the main sewage system to replace the current septic tank.

The plans also feature a new car park, with around 20 car parking spaces rather than the current six or seven.

Mr Booth said: “We have got a rural parish that’s spread over two square miles with 500 people. Obviously, people are going to have to drive to use it.”

The Newnham Clubroom Committee has so far raised £30,000 towards the cost of the hall, and hope to raise the rest through grants and other donations. The borough council will decide on the application by April 15.