Strategic Land

Work starts on £1 community centre in Cofton Hackett

Expert developer and regeneration specialist, St. Modwen, has started work on a community centre in Cofton Hackett, Bromsgrove, after committing more than £1m to the development.

St Modwen will deliver the community centre facilities for Cofton Hackett residents as part of the planning agreement for the redevelopment of the former Longbridge East Works site, which will see a total of 605 new homes being built in the village.

Once complete, the 4,000 sq ft centre will be a vital hub and resource for local residents and will be home to an array of activities and regular classes, including sports and exercise classes, family events for all ages, a lunch club for the elderly and hobby groups.

The centre, which will be located on the corner of East Works Drive and Groveley Lane, will contain a fully equipped kitchen, a 1,600 sq ft hall, an office, a meeting room and a sheltered external activity area. The building is expected to be completed by late spring 2019.

The Cofton Village Hall Trust, a charity trust created by local residents, is aiming to raise £80,000 to fully equip the building with furniture and facilities. The Trust has already raised more than £3,000.

St. Modwen is building the community centre  just one mile from Longbridge, where the Company is continuing its work to regenerate the former MG Rover site. St. Modwen has already delivered over 600 family homes, a £100 million town centre, new offices, Bournville College, the Longbridge Technology Park, the three-acre Austin Park, bespoke medical accommodation for the MoD’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation, and a 260 apartment Extracare retirement village.

Chris Newsome, Development Director at St. Modwen, said: “St. Modwen Homes has had a significant presence in Cofton Hackett and its neighbouring town, Longbridge, for a few years now and it’s only right that whilst we’re creating new homes, we’re also taking into account the needs of existing residents in the area.

“It’s been great to work with Cofton Hackett Parish Council and The Cofton Village Hall Trust on this project and we’re pleased to be delivering a building that we know will play a vital role in strengthening this already tight-knit community.”

Reverend Sheri Gidney, local resident and Chair of Trustees for The Cofton Village Hall Trust, said: “Cofton Hackett residents are very excited about the new village hall and we’re looking forward to getting it completed and fully operational so we can begin rolling out activities for local people.

“We’re grateful to St. Modwen for working so closely with us on the plans and for building the hall, which we know will be much-loved and well-used. We’re now focused on fundraising activity so that we can make the centre comfortable and welcoming once the build is finished.”

For more information on St. Modwen, please visit www.stmodwen.co.uk. For more information on the Cofton Hackett community centre, please visit www.coftonvillagehall.org. To make a donation to The Cofton Village Hall Trust, visit www.gofundme.com/CoftonVillageHall or get in touch with Parish Clerk Andrew on 07496 979153.