The inside of the new Brooklands Park community centre in Stoke Gifford has been unveiled for the first time this week as the project nears completion.
The new building is made up of a lobby, café and servery, kitchen, toilet facilities, office, meeting rooms and community hall. An operator (Hayley Mannion) has already been found for the café, providing a place for the community to spend time together.
Work started on the new building last November and as the building project enters its final stages Councillor Adam Monk, Cabinet Member for Resources at South Gloucestershire Council, Dave Addison, Chairman of Stoke Gifford Parish Council, and representatives from Crest Nicholson and John Perkins Construction took a first look round the new facility this week.
The building is being built by John Perkins Construction on behalf of Crest Nicholson as part of the overall development of Brooklands Park. The council has worked with the contractor to create the most energy efficient building that is possible so when the weather is sunny, very little power will need to be drawn from the grid.
Councillor Adam Monk, Cabinet Member for Resources at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We are delighted to see the building take shape as this project nears completion. The council has worked closely with the contractor, using S106 contributions and funding from our climate and nature resources, to create the greenest, most energy-efficient and financially viable building possible. It boasts many green features such as solar panels, battery storage and a heat pump.”
South Gloucestershire Council is supporting Stoke Gifford Parish Council to take over the running of the centre when it opens to the public.
Dave Addison, Chairman of Stoke Gifford Parish Council said: “The parish council is very pleased to be taking on the running of this community centre which will be an important resource, and we hope it will well used by the Brooklands Park community. A well-established operator has been found to run the café which will provide a social place for nearby residents to enjoy.”
A spokesperson for Crest Nicholson said: “Crest Nicholson is excited to see the Brooklands Park community centre nearing completion, with the unveiling of the inside marking an important milestone in the project. We are proud to have supported its delivery alongside our partners, and hope this sustainable and welcoming space will become a valued hub for the community.”
The wider Brookland’s Park site was allocated through South Gloucestershire Council’s Local Plan and was granted outline permission in 2008 for up to 1,200 homes as well as necessary supporting facilities including a community centre.
The council’s planning department directly secured the community centre through negotiations on the Section 106 (S106) legal agreement as part of the outline planning application.
A video showing the progress of the new community centre is available here https://youtu.be/sYTsImTFjwA
