Diamond Community Hub

Hello, we have created this page to ask a question of Greenham Parish residents: 

Do we put the time and effort into exploring the options for a Diamond Community Hub? Do we ask for quotations for a building, approx. 80m2, or do we spend the money, circa £150,000, on something else? If so, what?

Summary of the Journey to Date

The portacabin used by the Diamond Church and Youth Club has seen better days.

Greenham Parish Councillors felt that a new building on the site, ideally made from brick, would offer a meeting place for local people. West Berkshire Council, keen to maintain the football facilities on the Diamond offered some CIL monies to help with the costs

GPC created a Committee with Terms of Reference, the key ones being:

  • Evaluate feasible options for the design and construction of a new building.

  • Recommend a sustainable building solution that meets long-term community needs.

  • Identify and pursue funding opportunities, including grants, partnerships, and fundraising initiatives.

The new Clerk started on 1st October and at the meeting on 29th October:

It was suggested Cllr Drummond and the Clerk should approach West Berkshire Council and bring back a proposal for discussion by the Committee that could get the Diamond Build project moving forward. This agreement can then lead to the creation of a formal tender document for an architect and project manager. The Committee resolved unanimously, proposed Cllr Blackborow, seconded, Cllr Neal. 

Billy and the Clerk met with officers at West Berkshire Council who recommended the first step being a motion to GPC regarding the desire for WBC to devolve the Diamond to them. This was agreed at GPC Full Council on 10th December and a proposal sent to West Berkshire Council before Christmas. We are waiting on further discussions… 

In the meantime, the Clerk has been exploring funding options, sharing the vision with Greenham Trust to understand their approach to grant funding on this level.

Their main concern was, with two existing buildings in the area that are under utilised, the Greenham Community Centre and St Mary’s Church, why would other funders invest in a building with limited demand? A brick building would be £1m+

This advice has turned the project upside down. Should we be looking to build something less permanent for a fraction of the cost? We could create something we need for the existing users of the portacabin and look to hire the space out to local people, local groups, local businesses and if it proves to be successful we can then look to invest in bricks and mortar.

Any purchase over £30,000 requires GPC to put out a tender on the “Find a Tender” website that opens the project up to a wide potential supplier base. This process will take a few months and so before we get started we want to ask our residents if this is something that they feel is needed on the Diamond or should we use the money, circa £150,000 for something else, if so what?

Thank you.

Greenham Parish Council