The simple facts about the replacement for Park Hall

Broadstairs and St Peters Town Council have been working towards a new community centre to replace Park Hall in Broadstairs for a decade. The state of Park Hall, and the closing of the aging Retort House, would have left Broadstairs with less community hire space than required by the town’s vibrant, social community.

To assist with the project, the Town council encouraged the formation of a Community Centre Trust, to raise awareness, funds, and oversee the planning and building phases of the project – which is a common arrangement for village and community halls across the country.

An early piece of work reviewed the potential sites for the new centre, and after much consultation and discussion, the site surrounding Park Hall was identified as the best solution. The chief reasons being there was a building upon it; that it was already perceived as at the centre of community life in Broadstairs; was close to main bus and public transport; and that it would enhance the safety and security of the park itself through additional use, particularly during the hours of darkness.

Plans to incorporate a car park were dropped early, as the site nearby was deemed to be too close to the properties in Pierremont Avenue; early plans placed the centre further into the park, and many were opposed to using any extra park land for the project.

The project has been through several iterations, including a dedicated space for Broadstairs Age Concern; an L shaped variant which completed the square alongside Pierremont Hall; and smaller alterations required for funding applications, security, heritage and other considerations.

The current plan, smaller than the L shaped building given permission in 2008,has a reduced footprint minimising impact upon the surrounding park; and when combined with the demolition of the Age Concern building returns more green space than the two older buildings currently occupy. The footprint appears to affect 7 – 8 trees, and has been marked on the ground for the avoidance of doubt.

Work for the previous, larger centre, identified trees which would be affected, and listed some as being of poor condition. The Trust will, as part of their plan, replace these with semi mature trees, with a wider variety of trees, designed to enhance the offer across the Park.

Construction will be undertaken strictly in accordance with BS 5387:2005 ‘Trees in Relation to Construction – Recommendations’. This includes advice on Root Protection Areas and additional precautions to protect retained trees, and piling of some parts of the foundations of the new building.

The majority of the funding for the first stage comes from Broadstairs and St Peters Town Council – this is a Broadstairs project for the people of Broadstairs - who have been preparing for this moment through their reserves policy for some years; with smaller contributions from Kent County Council capital budget, specifically set aside from capital to support village and community halls; and a smaller slice of capital from Thanet District Council. These are capital allocations, and are separate from the revenue budget implications arising from the majority of government cuts to local authorities.

This investment in the town’s future has never been more cost effective in the decade the project has been around. Current estimates should bring the building in at around £1,4 million. Of this, in excess of £600,000 is available now for the first stage; further funds are available through Section 106 monies for community facilities within the town, and other fundraising is underway to fill any gap.

The Town Council now hope all will appreciate the opportunity to complete this long standing commitment to Broadstairs residents and community life.