OBJECTIONS to the Gostrey Centre relocating to Farnham Memorial Hall were raised at Waverley’s council meeting on Tuesday, when committee members agreed £700,000 of additional funding that will bring the cost of redevelopment to £2.2m.

Using the public slot before the meeting, Farnham Residents’ Party leader Jerry Hyman asked for confirmation that there was a guarantee Crest Nicholson and Sainsbury would contribute anything toward the “rapidly rising” £2.2m cost of the scheme.

He also queried if committee members were being asked to circumvent the original 1947 deed of gift of the hall to the town as “a building for sports and physical training, particularly for schoolchildren”, by agreeing the relocation of a day centre there and a large care workers’ support team.

Responding, Waverley deputy leader Farnham Upper Hale member Julia Potts said: “I am well aware you have a lot of concerns about the Memorial Hall covenant. I can assure everyone when it is read as a whole, there is a clear requirement that Waverley does not restrict its use so that it is only open to a small number of people.”

Mr Hyman’s concerns were also taken up by Farnham Residents Party committee members during a lengthy debate on whether to agree the recommendations by Waverley executive for £700,000, funded from eternal contributions of £200,000 with the balance from revenue reserve, and for authority to be given to initiate the tender process to select a preferred consultant to run the construction tender process for the building works.

Farnham Castle Resident member John Williamson told the committee he could not agree with officers the proposed work was in compliance with the covenant, and Farnham Moor Park Independent member Andy MacLeod said it was not “an ideal location” for the Gostrey Centre, and proposed an amendment that Waverley would not have to bear any additional costs and all the money should be recouped from Crest Nicholson.

Waverley leader Robert Knowles called on his Conservative colleagues to oppose the amendment as unsound, because the decision had already been taken by the last administration and could not be changed, and it was overwhelmingly voted down.

Many Conservative members spoke out in support of the scheme. Farnham member Wyatt Ramsdale protested: “I can’t see how we can be in a situation that the hall being used by the elderly and having its use extended is not a good idea. Farnham Memorial Hall is a great location and the people of Farnham will be proud of it when it is expanded.”

Mrs Potts said: “I am very sad we are losing sight of the bigger picture and what we want to do. There has been too much uncertainty surrounding the future of the Gostrey Centre for too long. That needs to be addressed and we are doing so by offering a much more flexible multi-use facility.”

• Waverley’s outline design proposals for the redevelopment of Farnham Memorial Hall have come under fire from Farnham architect Yolande Hesse, design director of Back to Front Exterior Design, who has drawn up her own plan because she was “shocked by the inappropriateness” of Waverley’s proposal.

In a letter of objection containing her alternative designs, Mrs Hesse said she had sympathy with Waverley’s architects, as their scheme was probably the cheapest way to add an extension to the hall and as much parking as possible, but protested the approach “smacks of cost being the only criteria”, which was not in keeping with Waverley design guidance.

She proposed demolishing the sub-standard extensions added over the years and erecting two single storey extensions on either side of the existing building.

“Extension development should enhance the host building, which this application does not,” she said. “It leaves the ugliness of the west elevation, overlooking Crosby Way still as it is. No improvements planned on the west elevation can be found on the proposed drawings. Therefore the view from West Street and Crosby Way will stay the same in all its neglect and ugliness, whilst the east side will receive a brand new metal clad building completely out of keeping with the host building. The temple-like style requires balance through symmetry.”

The transformation of Farnham Memorial Hall into a £2m health and well-being centre incorporating the relocated Brightwells Gostrey Centre, could begin by the end of 2015 if the application is agreed. The public consultation on Waverley’s outline application closes on July 17 and the scheme is due to be determined by the council’s joint planning committee at the end of August.