Work starts on £1m community centre as part of housing development

St. Modwen has started work on a community centre in Bromsgrove as part of the planning agreement for the redevelopment of the former Longbridge East Works site, which will see more than 600 homes being built in the village.

St. Modwen will deliver the community centre facilities for Cofton Hackett residents aas part of a £1m investment.

Once complete, the 4,000 sq ft centre will be a hub and resource for local residents and will offer activities including sports and exercise classes, family events for all ages, a lunch club for the elderly and hobby groups.

The centre, which will be located on the corner of East Works Drive and Groveley Lane, will contain a fully equipped kitchen, a 1,600 sq ft hall, an office, a meeting room and a sheltered external activity area. The building is expected to be completed by late spring 2019.

The Cofton Village Hall Trust, a charity trust created by local residents, is aiming to raise £80,000 to fully equip the building with furniture and facilities.

St. Modwen is building the community centre  just one mile from Longbridge, where the company is continuing its work to regenerate the former MG Rover site.

The developer has already delivered over 600 family homes, a £100m town centre, offices, Bournville College, the Longbridge Technology Park, the three-acre Austin Park, bespoke medical accommodation for the MoD’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation, and a 260 apartment Extracare retirement village.

Chris Newsome, development firector at St. Modwen, said: “St. Modwen Homes has had a significant presence in Cofton Hackett and its neighbouring town, Longbridge, for a few years now and it’s only right that whilst we’re creating new homes, we’re also taking into account the needs of existing residents in the area.

“It’s been great to work with Cofton Hackett Parish Council and The Cofton Village Hall Trust on this project and we’re pleased to be delivering a building that we know will play a vital role in strengthening this already tight-knit community.”