Hall refurbishment takes a step forward
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Plans for the phased refurbishment of a popular community facility in Newburgh moved forward this week after funding for the project was secured.
Plans were first submitted for major works at the venue back in April 2017 and were subsequently approved by Aberdeenshire Council, leading to a protracted campaign by the hall committee to secure funds.
In a notice made public today (Friday), the Newburgh Village Public Hall Committee said: "We are excited to announce that we have been successful in securing approx. £90,000 of funding and are now in a position to begin Phase 1 of the Hall Refurbishment Project
"The funding has come from a mix of developer obligations money, a grant from the Robertson Trust and local fundraising within the village.
"We also received a small development grant from the Scottish Government Climate Challenge Fund."
A spokesperson said: "The refurbishment project has been in the planning for quite a while.
"In 2016, the committee held a public open evening to ask local people what they wanted from their hall going forward.
"The results highlighted accessibility and modernisation as main concerns.
"This information was taken to a local architect, who drew up plans for the hall addressing these concerns.
"The plans were put back to the public at another open event in early 2017, before being submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for planning approval, and getting approval later in 2017. "
The secured funding now means that part of the project can get underway.
The continued: "The full refurbishment project will cost in the region of £300K.
"It was decided by the committee that in order to make the project more manageable, it should be broken into smaller phases.
"Phase 1 addresses the major accessibility issues.
"It includes moving the main entrance from the side to the original Main St entrance, building an accessibility ramp, widening the entrance hallway and putting in new accessible toilets.
"This is the work we are now able to begin.
"We are in the process of putting the job out to tender and hope to get started in late summer, and finished by the end of November.
"This means the hall will stay shut until Phase 1 is complete."
The Committee are now calling on users and residents to take a couple of minutes to fill out a short survey.
Answers could help in any future application to the Climate Challenge Fund to secure the further £200K funding needed to complete the Hall Refurbishment.
The survey can be found at : https://forms.gle/4x1XBpHrS7y9PZLj7
