Village hall to be given more traditional entrance

Bill EdgarLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imageBBC Jubilee Hall in West Rainton. The extension is made of brown bricks and has sharp anti-theft spikes running along its roof. The yellow paint is flaking off the roof and a window has been bricked up.BBC
The community group which runs the hall says the building is bulky and unsightly

The redevelopment of a village hall is expected to begin later this year after plans were approved by the local council.

Jubilee Hall in West Rainton, County Durham, is to undergo building work to replace its current "bulky and unsightly" front extension, according to the group which runs the centre.

The West Rainton & Leamside Community Association (WRLCA) now plans to demolish the extension and build a new one more in keeping with the character of the original building.

The community group said the plans would give the village "access to a first-class facility which will last long into the future".

The hall, on North Street, was originally built in 1880 as a military drill hall.

Plans for a new extension were originally approved in 2009, but had become outdated, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The community association said the historic character of the building had been eroded by insensitive alterations, although the site recently received new kitchen facilities from a local social housing provider.

News imageHoot Architecture A CGI of how the new front extension will look. The entrance to Jubilee Hall has a grey slanted roof and its made of red brick. A new entrance with double doors leads into the building.Hoot Architecture
The new extension will be more in keeping with the building's original aesthetic

But WRLCA said before work could begin it would need to finance the construction through a fundraising campaign.

"There has been a lot of hard work to get to this stage and now it is time to raise funds for the refurbishment," it said.

Details of how the money will be raised have yet to be announced.

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