Chichester District Council has
agreed to release more than £250,000 to Age Concern
Southbourne for the refurbishment of its New Road home.
The plan to use £256,415.52 of S106
funds – money contributed by developers who have been
allowed to build in the area – was given the nod during a
meeting of the full council on Tuesday (May 19).
The prefabricated former school
building is owned by West Sussex County Council and was
built between the World Wars. The county has offered a
Community Asset Transfer, which will see the building leased
to Age Concern for 25 years.
Such a transfer justifies major
improvements, and three options have been considered –
demolition and rebuilding, demolition and replacement with
temporary structures, or substantial refurbishment of the
building.
Age Concern chose the latter and
has been working to develop a scheme which will include
replacing the roof, repairing and dry-lining the walls,
updating the doors and windows, expanding the kitchen,
reconfiguring the toilets, adding wheelchair access, and
upgrades to the electrics, heating, and fire alarm.
Deputy leader Jonathan Brown said:
“Although it’s been many years since I had any involvement
with Age Concern Southbourne, I would just like to say how
pleased I am that the charity is still growing strong, still
providing such a valuable service to local residents, and is
still progressing plans to safeguard and enhance its
future.”
Oona Hickson, cabinet member for
housing and revenue & benefits, said the building was in ‘a
dire state of repair’.
Commending the trustees for keeping
things going in a building that was ‘not fit for purpose’,
she added: “Anybody who’s actually visited it as a polling
station will know it’s leaky, drafty, cold. It’s long
overdue that it has money spent on it.”
Age Concern produces a hot lunch on
Wednesdays for elderly people in the area, so kitchen
improvements are vital.
Improving the ageing building will
also allow the charity to bring in income by using it for
other purposes throughout the week.
Sussex World 20th May
