Community centre to undergo £500,000 revamp

Great Lumley Community Centre is now owned by the parish council

A village community centre is to be refurbished after receiving more than £500,000 in funding.

Ownership of Great Lumley Community Centre is being transferred from Durham County Council to the village's parish council as part of plans to expand its services.

The county council said the funding would be used to improve the building and its facilities and allow the centre to offer more activities to residents.

Phil Heaviside, chair of Great Lumley Parish Council, said the transfer would ensure the centre was "at the heart of village life".

"It has taken more than ten years to get to this point and we look forward to getting started on our refurbishment plans," he said.

"The centre means a great deal to our community and the refurbishment will allow us to offer a functional gym space and dance studio as well as a café and meeting rooms for groups to use."

The centre plans to open a new gym facility and cafe

Durham County Council said £480,000 from capital funding and Section 106 funding would pay for the centre's refurbishment and maintenance along with cash from two councillors' Towns and Villages budgets.

Chester-le-Street Area Action Partnership has provided an additional £20,000 to pay for a centre manager, while £20,950 has been awarded from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Transferring ownership of the site to the parish council would allow it to apply for grant funding the local authority cannot access.