New community hall to 'unite growing village'

DISTRICT COUNCIL GRANTS FUNDING TO KEEP PLAN ON TRACK

- By JOE LOCKER

A SENIOR councillor says plans for a new community hall will help "unify" an expanding village.

Bilsthorpe Parish Council wants to develop modern community facilities in the village to "meet the needs of a growing and expanding community".

The dilapidated old village hall in Cross Street is closed and there are plans to sell it to help pay for the new hall in Crompton Road.

Plans for the multi-use community hub, featuring a café, playground and sports court and centralising the heritage museum and miners' welfare into a modern building, were approved last month.

But the project faced a funding shortfall of between £1 million and £1.3m, depending on the sale of the village hall.

Newark and Sherwood District Council has now agreed to give £1 million from its reserves, as well as £299,000 from developer contributions, to keep things project moving.

Councillor Paul Taylor (Lab), portfolio holder for public protection and community relations, said: "The local parish council and the ward member have done a massive amount of work.