Presteigne Memorial Hall
MEMORIAL HALL REDEVELOPMENT
PLEASE GIVE US YOUR SUPPORT
An application to the Big Lottery last year for £500,000 towards a total project cost of £1,000,000 failed. A subsequent meeting with the Big Lottery clarified that the application was recommended for funding throughout the selection process only failing at the last committee because the amount requested was felt to be too much from one source. Following discussions with the Big Lottery and other funding bodies a new strategy has been decided upon. Three simultaneous applications will now be made for £300,000 each towards a total project cost of £900,000.
It will be necessary to obtain full planning permission before making these applications and with this in mind a presentation was made to the Town Council and the Memorial Hall committee, and a separate presentation to all current and possible future user groups.
These meetings enabled the project chairman James Tennant-Eyles and the project architect, Dean Benbow of Kington, to present the plans for the building, and seek further feedback on the design. They explained that the proposed plans are based on various community presentations, user group consultations, surveys, and an extensive feasibility study which have resulted in a building proposal that responds to all these inputs, legal requirements, and identified needs. (For more information on these studies and consultations see below -Historical Information).
It was made clear that feedback from the community into the detail internal design and functionality of the building is an ongoing process and that this would not stop after permission had been received. A number of interesting issues were raised at the meetings and these have already been incorporated into the latest plans.
The plans were extremely well received by all present and there was enthusiastic support for the building design and the way that that it responds to the constraints of the site, the needs of the community, the requirements of current and future user groups, and our eco aspirations.
As part of this ongoing process of consultation the Drawings and Design Statement are presented here for feedback from the community and we would be most grateful to receive comments by email. If you would like further explanation of the five year project that has led us to this point or would like more detailed explanation of the design concepts that have inspired the plan presented, please feel free to send an email.
An important aspect of any successful grant application is the support of the community so I would ask all those that feel inclined, to write to us expressing their enthusiasm for this project and its exciting response to the complex and wide ranging needs of our community.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Town Council commissioned a report on the future of the Memorial Hall in January 2007. If you would like to see the report which contains a lot of interesting information please click this link - Memorial Hall Report.
If you would like to see the appendices referred to in the report click the appropriate following links Appendix 1, | Appendix 2, Appendix 3, Appendix 4, Appendix 5.
The Town Council and the Memorial Hall committee with the support of PAVO and Powys County Council commisioned a Feasibility Study that considered options for the future of the Memorial Hall in 2009. This included consultation with the community as a whole and with current and potential users groups. A copy of this is available for examination in the Town Library. If you would like to view the study online, please click Feasibilty Study, please note the online version does not have the appendices which can be seen with the version available at the Town Library.
The Feasibilty Study concluded that the most popular option for the future of the Memorial Hall is to build a new Hall on the existing site. The Town Council and the Memorial Hall Committee are now applying to a number of potential funders including the Big Lottery - People and Places, to obtain the funds to proceed with this option.