· In March 2006, a bridge at the access point from the road was installed with road apron and gates
· June saw the laying of a car park and planning permission for a smaller wooden building than originally envisaged
2007
· Construction of the new hall building commenced on 8 September 2007, when a local contractor dug the first trench
· Earlier in the year, another local contractor installed the sewage treatment plant. In both the base and sewerage works, grant money had to be spent by a specific date.
· We also had extended the car park, at the request of Mid Suffolk District Council’s planners who had previously approved its dimensions. A 40-foot coach can now manoeuvre safely.
· Essex and Suffolk Water connected the water supply, initially to restore facilities in the football changing rooms. A local contractor donated his time labour and equipment to dig and backfill the trench, whilst a local plumber connected up the supply and later extended the supply to a temporary toilet and standpipe on the building site.
· EDF Energy had been instructed to design and install the electricity supply – for a charge of £8,000. The upgrading of an existing transformer, tunnelling under the B1123 and running underground instead of overhead are the key reasons for this huge sum. Without a local contractor’s offer to contribute the necessary trench work, costs would have been even higher.
· In July the Committee took a big step and ordered the new system-built building from Passmores Ltd, of Strood in Kent, following the example of the neighbouring village of Walpole’s new community building. This was in reaction to grant declinatures and Walpole was an example of good value for money and good for usage. The Committee have had to balance their wish to build the best hall we could, with the sparseness of grant-aid for new village halls, with grants already awarded having a time limit, with the need to close down the old hall as quickly as possible.
· By the end of September one of our local contractors had completed the footings, a suspended beam and block floor 18 inches above the ground (due to the floodplain location), the drains system and soakaways, ready for the new building to be constructed. The expense of the base took into account the flood design requirements.
· At the beginning of October 2007, Passmores arrived on site and erected the walls building and in November the roofing work began
· By January 2008, the hall was up and roofed, with red ridge tiles
2008
· From late summer 2008, the timber walls began to be painted black to look like a Suffolk barn conversion, using a donation of paint from Sadolin
· The whole building was insulated, using a donation from Celotex, underfloor, the walls and latterly in December 2008 the roof
· The electrical system was installed and completed
· Plastering throughout was also complete
· The kitchen and toilets were successful installed, with the sewerage system commissioned and running
· A wooden floor was laid in the main hall plus serviceable flooring in the service block area
2009
· Interior decoration has taken place, with regular bi weekly painting parties drawn from village volunteers. A donation of paint was made by Dulux.
· The old hall in Withersdale closed its doors in April 2009. Its erstwhile users were banging on the new hall doors, most anxious for the new hall to open.
· Planning applications to retain the existing entrance were submitted
· Outline plans for a footpath back to the Cross were submitted and approved
· All the hard landscaping around he hall including the disabled access ramp and ca park were completed in June
· After massive preparation, the final submission of all outstanding Building Control details were made in October 2009
· Final details in the hall and outside (e.g. ramp handrail) were finalised in October
· Building control and Fire Service assessments were made in November 2009
The new hall opened for business on Friday 6th November 2009
The overall value of the building project was about £240,000
to be added...
Initial scheme and PP
Assessment of funding opportunities
Reduction of scope and cost
Revised PP
Fundraising
