A council determined that a previous community centre building was barely used five hours a year, meaning it could be removed. Ashfield District Council claims that Brierley House on the Carsic estate in Sutton-in-Ashfield was not financially viable to continue operating.
Next week, the council’s own planning committee will consider an application to demolish the Brierley Road building and erect two council bungalows. It has been suggested that it be approved.
Residents have urged the council to consider reopening it instead. The community centre temporarily closed during the pandemic, and its use never recovered after the lockdown was lifted.
The number of hours it was used decreased from 568 in 2019/20 (26 percent of the time) to just five in 2022–2023 (0.2 percent). According to the authorities, Brierley House didn’t bring in any money that year, and its yearly upkeep expenses were more than £8,000.
To maintain it functional, an additional expenditure of about £37,000 would be required over the following five years. About thirty objections have been made to the council in response to the plans, indicating a pushback from the community.
The only council-bookable location that was specifically created for this community to gather in order to lessen social isolation, loneliness, and the possibility of reducing anti-social behaviour, according to Councillor Cathy Mason (Lab), “would only increase the deprivation levels, definitely having a negative impact on the character of the area.”
According to a different resident, it offered the community “irreplaceable value” through social gatherings for the elderly, children’s art lessons, cultural events, and educational workshops. We have reached out to Ashfield District Council for their thoughts.
But at a gathering the previous year,
“What is superior to cheap housing and council? We have an astounding number of individuals on our waiting list.
In addition, the council wants to build two semi-detached houses in its place in place of another underutilised community facility on Mill Lane in Huthwaite. The combined cost would be £743,000, of which Homes England would be responsible for a portion.
The planning committee of Ashfield District Council will consider the Brierley House application on Wednesday, April 17.
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