Work under way on new community centre for housing development
Work to build a new Community Centre at Handley Chase in Sleaford has begun and will take around 11 months.
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 as one two Sustainable Urban Extensions put forward by North Kesteven District Council for Sleaford.
The community centre will have a main hall, a community room and a kitchen and has been located within a 'gateway' area to the Handley Chase development, alongside the Coop food store and other possible retail units as well as the 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.
North Kesteven District Council passed downsized plans which the applicant, Sleaford Property Developments Ltd, says will maintain the same amount of floor space.
The overall cost of the community centre build is expected to be in the region of £1.1million.
In the background arrangements are being finalised for the operation of the community centre by Sleaford Town Council.
It is being built using S106 monies provided by the developers of Handley Chase alongside a contribution from Sleaford Town Council (understood to be in the region of £300,000).
Councillor Richard Wright, Leader of North Kesteven District Council, said: “Community centres are at the heart of our sustainable urban extensions, a focal point for communities to come together for recreation and leisure. Their delivery is integral to how we support our flourishing communities.
“The Community Centre has been brought forward in line with the masterplan for Handley Chase.
“It will be the hub of the community providing social, recreational and leisure opportunities for residents of Handley Chase and the surrounding area.”
An NKDC spokesperson previously told the Sleaford Standard: “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 made with developers to contribute towards open space, education, health and community facilities.
They said: “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.”