PLANS to redevelopment Melksham Assembly Hall are now under way, beginning with a feasibility study to determine the best way to give the venue a new lease of life.
Melksham Town Council has appointed an architect who will conduct a feasibility study, to assess the practicalities of re-designing the existing building or possibly building a new Assembly Hall on the site.
Manager at Melksham Assembly Hall, Tim Cross said, “I’m very pleased that things are moving forward. Whatever the feasibility study brings up, certainly the whole building needs to be improved and in particular the roof is crying out to be replaced.
“It would also be great to have a more functionable and usable stage and raked seating installed, so all seats get a great view of the stage.
“It’s very exciting and if it all goes ahead, then it will generate more interest from bigger entertainment acts and also make a destination venue for people not just from Melksham, but from across the county.
“What we do at the moment is good, but the redevelopment would give us many more exiting opportunities and we would be able to provide the best entertainment.”
Deputy Mayor, cllr Jon Hubbard said, “It’s quite clear that the Assembly Hall needs much more than just a lick of paint and new seating, and the feasibility study will tell us what we don’t know in terms of potential uses of the space and how we can make best use of the space.
“The architect will speak to residents and local people in the community and will come back with a feasibility study which talks about a potential project plan and options for the building, which will probably be way beyond anything that we had thought about. This really is an exciting opportunity.
“It’s really important that we get this piece of work started as it’s going to take time. But this is a significant council project, be it a refurbishment or a major renovation, and to make sure we spend the money wisely we have to invest in the planning.”
