COMMUNITY CENTRE PLANS DECIDED

Plans for a new community centre in Pierremont Park, Broadstairs have been given the go ahead, subject to an existing building on the site being removed.

The council’s Planning Committee last night (Wednesday 16 February) agreed the application for the community centre, but asked officers to add a new condition in. This would lead to the demolition of the former Age Concern building.

The application will also see the demolition of Park Hall, which will be replaced by a much larger two-storey community centre. This would have a main hall with a stage, which can also be used as a badminton court. Other facilities provided would be four meeting rooms, a kitchen and snack bar and toilets.

The council’s Planning Committee first considered this application in 2006 and resolved to approve it. Because of the time that had elapsed since the first decision was made, the application went back to the Planning Committee to decide if anything had changed in the meantime.

Cllr. Ken Gregory, Chairman of the Planning Committee said: “It’s probably fair to say that when this application was first submitted six years ago, there was a great deal of controversy about it. People were concerned about a number of things, but particularly the loss of parkland and trees. These issues were carefully considered at the time and at last night’s meeting, we were satisfied that things hadn’t changed since the initial decision we made in 2006. Having listened to all the views at the meeting, it’s clear that the community centre would be a valuable resource for Broadstairs residents and therefore the benefits would outweigh the concerns that we heard people raise.”