A new community building could be coming to an Isle of Wight village.
The charity, South Wight Area Youth (SWAY), is looking to build a new hub, that would include youth services and be a facility for local residents, following successful fundraising campaigns.
At the moment, SWAY provides outreach services from its existing cabin at Spanners Close, Chale Green, but the building is in need of major improvement, it says, as it is in poor condition and has no running water.
Flexible and multi-purpose use
A new building would replace the current hub and if it is approved, it is intended the hall could be used for a flexible and multi-purpose use with a main hall and cafe open for all with also an office and meeting room for SWAY.
Planning agents, Lanyon-Hogg Architects, on behalf of SWAY, say in documents submitted to the council there are no community facilities in Chale Green after Chale Stores, which had a post office and cafe, closed in 2019 and has since been turned into houses.
A strong need for a community hub
The agents say research indicated there was a need for a community hub, not just to serve the village, but the wider South Wight rural area, as there was a ‘sense of isolation’ in the area, through a lack of car ownership and accessible meeting place.
View the plans
You can view the plans, 23/01271/FUL, on the Isle of Wight Council’s planning register.
The public consultation runs until 29th September.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
