Press Release - NEW ROMNEY TOWN COUNCIL SAYS YES TO COMMUNITY CENTRE PROJECT
Published: 06 March 2024
NEW ROMNEY TOWN COUNCIL SAYS YES TO COMMUNITY CENTRE PROJECT
New Romney Town Council confirms the exciting news that, having been awarded planning consent in December 2023 for its new, budget-led project and following a stringent tendering process, it has awarded a Design and Build Construction Contract for the newly-named ‘Maude Community Centre’ and Annexe, which is to be sited adjacent to the Station Road Sports Ground.
In February 2022, the Council took the decision to halt the original project and to re-design it, to be delivered within a fixed budget. In January 2023, the Town Council agreed to move forward with a revised, fully costed design that could be achieved within the available budget. Further engagement then took place with key stakeholders to refine the project design.
In September 2023, a new project planning application was submitted to Folkestone and Hythe District Council and the contract opportunity was publicised. The deadline for receipt of tenders was 11th December 2023 and on 12th December 2023, the new project design was awarded planning consent – which was excellent news!
On 7th February 2024, having completed a stringent tender review and interview process, which was supported by Synergy Construction & Property Consultants, the Town Council formally awarded the £3.3 million contract to deliver the project – which has now been named the ‘Maude Community Centre’ – to Kent Structures Ltd.
New Romney Town Council is delighted to have been able to award this exciting contract opportunity to a local company, Kent Structures Ltd, which is located in Ashford - thus aligning the Council’s decision with its ethos of supporting local economy whenever possible.
Work will commence on site on 29th April 2024 and is due to be completed by 28th April 2025. The new Maude Community Centre, once officially opened, will provide a main two-storey building and a single-storey annexe. These new facilities will be home to a wide range of much-valued community services, including a community sports pavilion which will become the new home of New Romney’s local sports teams, a 150-seat community hall available for hire by local groups and organisations, as well as private hire for family parties, wedding receptions and other family functions and for community events, business conferences etc, and facilities for daily childcare provision.
Delighted by New Romney Town Council’s decision to now see this project through to fruition, Chairman of the Project Steering Group, Councillor Paul Thomas, stated: ‘The Project Steering Group has worked hard over the last two years, in a difficult financial environment, to work with key stakeholders on finalising a deliverable design which has now received planning consent. I look forward to the opening of the Maude Community Centre and Annexe in April 2025, which will transform the existing site and I am delighted that we have retained the Maude name.’
The Right Worshipful the Mayor of New Romney, Councillor John Rivers added: ‘This project will prove to be an important step forward for our community and shows that the Town Council takes seriously its responsibilities as our population grows and as the demands on leisure spaces increases. Important for mental and physical health, this brand new, modern facility will promote healthy living and social benefits for all. I look forward to the provision of these facilities in the second quarter of 2025’.
Additional Background
Information.
Following initial public consultations, this project commenced in 2016 with the appointment of a professional Project Management Team and Architect to develop the project design.
Following a great deal of work in design and development, together with various stages of public and stakeholder engagement, unforeseen delays caused by the Covid pandemic and a protracted period of inactivity whilst planning consent was awaited stalled the project for a while. The original project design was eventually put out to tender in July 2021. The tenders received from six well known Kent firms ranged from £3,808,318.00 to £5,080,119.00. NRTC worked with the lowest tenderer to identify design changes that would reduce costs but this still resulted in a building cost well in excess of the budget that was available at that time.
In February 2022, the Council took the bold decision to halt the original project and to re-design it to be delivered within a fixed budget.