THE future of Alton Community Centre came under the spotlight again this week with a new twist that could see the ditching of a newbuild project in favour of refurbishment. What could be viewed as a heavy-handed Environment Agency ruling about building on flood plains has conspired to move the goal posts, threatening to price the agreed scheme out of the market. It has left East Hampshire District Council, which owns the existing Community Centre building and who are having to finance long overdue improvements, in an invidious position. After two years of negotiations the Environment Agency has relaxed its 25m building exclusion zone, dictated by the one in a 100-year level for the extended River Wey flood plain. But it is insisting that any new build must be at least 8m from the bank of the river. Furthermore, if the decision is taken to knock down the existing building, which actually straddles the river, the culvert will have to be opened up and the same 8m principle applied. The ruling means that the original plan to build a new community centre in the car park, partly paid for by the sale of the old building for redevelopment, is critically flawed. The ruling could slash by half the value of the existing site which it was hoped would raise in the region of £1.5m to supplement a new build project. EHDC has already put aside a ballpark figure of £2.5m for a new centre under a plan agreed two years ago following a lengthy public consultation that identified a landmark building, designed by local architects Format Milton, as the preferred choice of the people. It was clear then that for the community centre to survive and prosper what was needed was a prestigious building, fit for purpose, that would attract new people to use it. In a desperate bid to deliver, EHDC has been looking at ways of addressing the Environment Agency-led situation by coming up with plans that would combine a new centre with a residential element to offset the cost. The other alternative is to abandon the new build plan altogether and go for a significant refurbishment. In making the announcement at Tuesday's meeting of EHDC's community forum (Alton and surrounding villages) chairman David O'Donnell was clear on two counts – that the district council remained committed to providing a new community building for Alton and that the budget would be the same. It was essential, he said, that the process be "quicker and slicker" than before. "There is no doubt that we have lost ground over the last two years but it was out of our control. What we wanted was impossible to achieve. "A refurbishment will not be a cheaper option but it will be quicker," said Mr O'Donnell who insisted he was not talking facelift. What was envisaged, was a gutting of the inside to produce a building of a similar standard to the Alton Maltings Centre – a refurbishment which was considered "a major new addition to Alton". But the choice to continue to press for new build or to accept a refurbishment will be made by the people. EHDC head of community Andy Ferrier was adamant that having moved away from the original plan it would be necessary to go back to the people to agree a way forward. He also acknowledged that if it was decided to take the refurbishment route it would not be appropriate to bring Alton Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) into the centre. Instead, the existing CAB building in Cross and Pillory Lane would undergo a facelift and the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) and the EHDC presence office would move elsewhere to allow the CAB to take over full use. While as disappointed as EHDC that a landmark building was no longer achievable, Alton Community Association chairman Pat Lerew was desperate to avoid further delay. Despite the prospect of upheaval to services caused by a refurbishment plan, she told the Forum: "Five years ago, almost to the day, it was decided that we (ACA trustees) couldn't go on ploughing money into an ageing building. "Within months EHDC had promised a new building and money was found for temporary damp course work. But we are now four years on from the 'tarting up' process and we are creaking again. All our money is going on keeping the building afloat, so speed is of the essence."
