Construction set to begin on new community centre in Sleaford this spring

The community hall has been part of plans for the Handley Chase development, which lies east of London Road and Stump Cross Hill, a joint venue between four developers.

The 1,450-home development promises to meet the town's growing need for housing over the next few years, with the first plans submitted back in 2015.

Planning documents show the community centre having a large sports hall, a community room and a kitchen. It will be located within a 'gateway' area to the Handley Chase development, alongside the Coop foodstore and other retail units as well as the new Sleaford shops and a new Sleaford Manor care home.

Revised plans for the community centre were approved last year after costs spiralled on the original designs. The public building was initially expected to cost £450,000. However, inflation and other price rises nearly tripled the estimated costs to £1.2m by 2022, and would be even higher today.

North Kesteven District Council has now passed downsized £900,000 plans which the applicant, Sleaford Property Developments Ltd, says will maintain the same amount of floor space.

Clerk to Sleaford Town Council, Chris Pilkington told The Sleaford Standard that the new centre will be run by a community interest company with directors from a range of interested parties, including the Town Council which is contributing towards the project (this share is understood to be in the region of £300,000). But he added that it would seem sensible for the Town Council to operate it on a day to day basis.

He said building could start in the spring with being ready to open by the end of the year.

A North Kesteven District Council spokesperson also confirmed that works aim to start early spring.

“I believe Sleaford Town Council committed at their December meeting to part fund it.”

They added: “The expected allotments and (sports) pitches are due for delivery in phase four of the Handley Chase Sustainable Urban Extension and therefore not yet laid out in a detailed planning application, but do form part of the section 106 overall requirement for recreation and community facility provision.”

Section 106 agreements are agreements made with developers to contribute towards open space, education, health and community facilities.

They said: “Detailed planning permission for a community centre has been approved. This is set to be part funded from the monies under the section 106 agreement and the trigger point in the agreement requires completion by the time the 386th dwelling is occupied in the Handley Chase SUE. “The section 106 agreement also stipulates that serviced land for a new two form entry primary school should be provided by the applicant by the time the 136th dwelling is occupied. It’s expected that the school would be constructed by the county council, according to a separate timescale of its own determination, but using funds from the section 106 agreement.”