A new extension has been completed at Trimley Memorial Hall with the support of funding awarded by East Suffolk Council through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
The project was carried out in response to growing demand for a larger community space, with the extension at the back of the hall providing an additional hall along with a kitchen, storage, and toilet facilities.
Along with planning permission that was permitted for the extension in February, East Suffolk Council provided £50,000 from CIL to Trimley St Martin Parish Council to support completion of the project as well as £30,000 in funding from the Rural Community Hub Fund (UKSPF).
CIL is a planning charge that that was introduced by the Planning Act 2008 that is paid by developers as a tool for local authorities in England and Wales to deliver infrastructure to support development in an area. In East Suffolk £26.3m in funding has been allocated to 81 projects since 2017, with improvements made and planned to support local infrastructure such as play areas, village halls and community centres, schools, transport schemes and GP surgeries.
The hall has been named the Rosemary Room in memory of Rosemary Gitsham who supported the community as a local parish recorder. Rosemary donated £3,000 towards the extension and in her memory historical photographs have been displayed in the space.
Cllr Mark Packard, East Suffolk Council's cabinet member for Planning and Coastal Management, said:
“Trimley St Martin has welcomed a number of new developments in recent years, so it is encouraging to see that CIL contributions from developers have come back into the community to complete this much-needed extension to the Memorial Hall. With the population continuing to grow in this area, the bigger building gives the parish council the ability to host more events and support the needs of residents.”
Cllr Yvonne Smart, Chairman of the Parish Council added:
“I would like to thank the Parish Council and the Memorial Hall Management Committee for their hard work in making the much-needed additional hall happen. Thanks go to Carly Small (Parish Clerk) in particular, for the time spent securing necessary funding and, along with Cllr Paul Rastrick, overseeing the build.”