Haymill Centre to get upgrade for Slough
Slough Borough Council has been consulting with users of the Haymill Centre and
residents in the surrounding area on plans to improve and upgrade the
facilities.
With the exception of the Joan Lester Centre, the existing Slough buildings are reaching the end of their useful life and are costing the council more and more to keep them safe and habitable. The costs for maintaining the buildings are increasing and a condition survey undertaken in 2006 has highlighted that £1.2m will need to be spent over the next four years on essential repairs.
A focus group took place with users of the Slough centre in March 2006, to find out what they like about the current community centre and what they would like to see in a new and modern centre.
Following this, a feasibility study was undertaken and outline design proposals were presented to users in November 2006.
In developing the outline design, full account was taken of feedback received from the consultation meetings and a number of subsequent consultations with key users, existing management of the Haymill, youth service and Slough council's education department.
Some of the elements included in the new design include:
Ground floor
* A reception
* Main hall, sports hall and function room
* Support zone (changing rooms, stores and the kitchen will be zoned in such a way to provide services for both the event hall and cafe areas)
* Cafe area
* Slough Surestart facilities
* Options for a community resource room (eg, a library, community police area and bar area
First floor
* Slough Youth service rooms
* Meeting rooms
* Locality office (for remote working for council staff) and lettable office space
* Gallery (overlooking cafe area)
In addition a new education facility will be provided for Haybrook College (the alternative education service) next to the Joan Lester Centre.
What will happen next?
At cabinet on 12 March, commissioners agreed to the proposals for a new Haymill centre and have instructed officers to cost up the scheme and work towards obtaining planning permission for the scheme.
The existing building will be retained for users to continue with their activities, until the new building is in place.
Slough Borough Council
With the exception of the Joan Lester Centre, the existing Slough buildings are reaching the end of their useful life and are costing the council more and more to keep them safe and habitable. The costs for maintaining the buildings are increasing and a condition survey undertaken in 2006 has highlighted that £1.2m will need to be spent over the next four years on essential repairs.
A focus group took place with users of the Slough centre in March 2006, to find out what they like about the current community centre and what they would like to see in a new and modern centre.
Following this, a feasibility study was undertaken and outline design proposals were presented to users in November 2006.
In developing the outline design, full account was taken of feedback received from the consultation meetings and a number of subsequent consultations with key users, existing management of the Haymill, youth service and Slough council's education department.
Some of the elements included in the new design include:
Ground floor
* A reception
* Main hall, sports hall and function room
* Support zone (changing rooms, stores and the kitchen will be zoned in such a way to provide services for both the event hall and cafe areas)
* Cafe area
* Slough Surestart facilities
* Options for a community resource room (eg, a library, community police area and bar area
First floor
* Slough Youth service rooms
* Meeting rooms
* Locality office (for remote working for council staff) and lettable office space
* Gallery (overlooking cafe area)
In addition a new education facility will be provided for Haybrook College (the alternative education service) next to the Joan Lester Centre.
What will happen next?
At cabinet on 12 March, commissioners agreed to the proposals for a new Haymill centre and have instructed officers to cost up the scheme and work towards obtaining planning permission for the scheme.
The existing building will be retained for users to continue with their activities, until the new building is in place.
Slough Borough Council