Next step for new £1million High Peak community centre as demolition date soon to be set

The ageing and deteriorating community centre on Lower Lane is soon to be a thing of the past as contractors have now been appointed or the rebuild which is costing upwards of £1m.

On Thursday March, 24 a spokesperson for Chinley, Buxworth and Brownside Community Association, said: “The Parish Council and Community Association are pleased to say that we have moved forwards to appointing contractors to rebuild Chinley and Buxworth Community Centre, subject to signing contracts.

“We have a pre-start meeting with our architects and the contractors next week and then hope to be in a position to let the community know when the demolition and construction works will begin - hopefully very soon.

“We appreciate that there will be some disruption going forwards but will do everything we can to minimise this and we'll be contacting the local businesses and residents who will be most affected as soon as we know more.

“Another step closer to our fantastic new community building.”

The existing community centre was constructed in the early 1970s with an expected lifespan of 25 years.

It is now over 50 years old, in very poor condition and close to the end of its life.

However, it remains a vibrant and thriving local community asset where people come together and the new building will ensure this can continue to happen for future generations to come.

The parish council and community association have been working together to secure a new building for nearly ten years now.

Together they secured funding and pledges totalling over £1.2 million.

Last year the government’s levelling up minister visited Chinley after it was announced the rebuild project had been awarded £250,000 from the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund.

Other funders and supporters, include the National Lottery Community Fund who pledged £490,000 towards the project, Derbyshire County Council, High Peak Borough Council, Bernard Sunley Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation and many more.

In the summer, the Community Association ran a Crowdfunder campaign which included match funding from Sport England, which raised over £50,000.