Current & Future Development ...
The project itself is and has been long and complicated and we have been heavily constrained by our ability to find grant funding, so the project has had to be phased to fit with cash flow and grant availability. This means that the project will be delivered in five phases over a projected ten year period:
Phase One: Toilet, office, stage and lobby refurbishment plus the creation of an IT Suite. Installation of waterless urinals, low flush cisterns, water saving taps, VOC free paints, fsc timber and rubber flooring and many more environmentally senstive solutions.
Phase One was succesfully delivered and opened in 2006.
Phase Two: The creation of a dedicated youth wing, incorporating kitchen, cafe area, office space, lobby and the refurbishment of a the 2nd hall to make it fit for youth work. All of this work completed to a high environmental standard. This build included a hemp-crete floor, marmoleum flooring, fsc timber, VOC free paints throughout, energy saving lights and a host of alternative and green finshes and equipment. This section of the building is heated using Air Sourced Heat Pumps.
Phase Two was succesfully delivered and opened by the then Leader of Kent County Council, Councillor Leyland Ridings with assistance of local young people in 2007.
Work recently completed:
Phase Three: This section is now complete, work began in March 2010 and finished in April 2011.This work involved a major refurbishment of the Main Hall and Stage area as well as the construction of an annexe that will include a One 2 One consultation suite, female, male, disabled and toddlet toilets as well as a new store room, catering kitchen and cafe area. As with previous phases the focus is on user group comfort and environmental innovation, the build will include a 'bio-diverse' roof, suntubes, hemp-crete, Cedar Cladding with wall insultation, with hemp insultation for the ceiling areas and all wall cavities, waterless urinals, low flush cisterns, novel recycled plastics, Air Sourced Heat Pumps, under floor heating, a Baxi Eco Gen boiler with Sterling Engine for renwable electricity generation, VOC paints, fsc timber and we will be experimenting with Vinyl and PVC products from Altro the world leader in safety flooring
It has taken three years to secure funding for this work, the main grant giver has been the Big Lottery Community Building Programme. Unfortunately due to thier own financial constraints no contribution made by Sandwich Town Council, the Toll Bridge Fund or Dover District Councils.
Phase Four: This will involve the creation of a car park area, landscaping of the grounds and the installation of new pereimeter fencing.
Phase Four: We are still seeking funding.
Phase Five: The construction of a new hall, to seat 150 people that can be used as an arts performance space, a small sports hall and an area for 'wet' arts and crafts.
Phase Five: Currently on the drawing board, funding to be sought following the granting of planning permission.
We do hope that this gives a feel for a our previous achievements and our future 'green' yet ambitious plans to create a space for the local area that is truly 'Community Centred'.
