Melksham East community centre plans rumble on

PLANS for a new community centre to be built on land east of Spa Road in Melksham East continue to rumble on.

A new community centre is due to be built by the Spa Medical Practice in Melksham East and will include a main hall, a meeting room/small hall, a kitchen, storage space and toilets.

Bloor Homes, the housing developer in Melksham East, was due to develop the hall. However, Melksham Town Council took the project over in 2021 after objecting to developer’s plans on the basis that they did not meet the Sport England guidance for the maximum size of community and village halls. Town councillors also said that the proposed location did not best serve the community.

The project, costing almost £1million, was described as “one of the biggest” that the council will be involved in over the coming years, funded using Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies – financial contributions made by developers towards the cost of supporting infrastructure.

Now, after a lack of movement on the project, Wiltshire councillor, Mike Sankey, has called for the construction of the hall to move forward. The project was due to the discussed at a recent town council meeting, but there was insufficient time available. Cllr Sankey said, “This has been delayed over the years and it was also due to be discussed at the full town council meeting on 28th February, but that never happened, which is another delay.

“Ward members are hoping to negotiate the Water Meadow as the new location because this is more central and more suitable. The community hall is to serve the Melksham East development, so it should be built in the heart of Melksham East, in a central location.”

Melksham’s mayor and Melksham East councillor, cllr Simon Crundell says, “I do not believe that the land to the east of Spa Road is a suitable location for Melksham East’s new community hall. It lies on the periphery of the community, near a busy road.

“Verbena Court is the heart of our community of Melksham East, with a thriving pub, shops and parking, it is the obvious hub of the community. Every Melksham East town councillor supports building the community hall in Verbena Court, and local residents are united in their desire to see it built in this central location.

“Furthermore, the council has committed to exploring the possibility of building the hall in Verbena Court as an option – by a unanimous vote. By building the hall in this location, we would be fulfilling a long-standing need for a central community space that would be accessible to all members of the community.   It would be a positive step towards promoting social cohesion, community development, and the overall wellbeing of our community.”

Reassuring the community that the project has not been forgotten, cllr Simon Crundell said, “Melksham East councillors have not given up on this, and we will continue to work together to deliver this valuable facility in a sensible location, to benefit the whole community.

“It’s important to distinguish between the goals of housebuilding and community building – while the former focuses on physical infrastructure, the latter priorities the creation of social spaces that bring people together. By building the community hall in Verbena Court, we can create a central hub for community activities that would promote social interaction and community development.”