Havant Borough Council has successfully secured £119,500 of grant funding from the One Public Estate funding programme to invest in securing the best possible future for amenities on Leigh Park’s Community Centre site.
A .85-hectare site, the Leigh Park Community Centre site currently offers a wide range of assets of tremendous value to the borough. Examples include a skills training centre for a career in construction, a library and the community centre itself.
The funding will be invested in exploring future options for the site and keeping it relevant to local need - which could include enhancing existing services and residential development. Delivered over the next year, the programme will engage closely with the community and local stakeholders to ensure voices are heard and needs are identified.
This critical work will provide the impetus and opportunity to engage with investors, apply for additional external funding and set out a clear plan of delivery for the development of the site, benefitting the residents of Leigh Park and the borough as a whole.
Councillor Alex Rennie - Leader of Havant Borough Council - said "Delivering real change in Leigh Park is a driving force for myself personally and the council as a whole, and securing this funding shows our true commitment to creating real opportunities and assets within it.
"I'm delighted to see the borough unlock these funds to help keep the Leigh Park Community Centre site front and foremost in meeting the varied local needs of residents. Through listening to local voices - and through considered research - this funding will keep the site relevant, capable and a welcome asset to Leigh Park and the wider borough. The ultimate goal for me though is to see actual development actually come forward at this site, this is the first step in this process".
For more information on the One Public Estate funding, visit https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/one-public-estate/ope-10-funding-prospectus-december-2023.