Kellingley Social Club to get almost £6m to turn it into 'vibrant community hub'

The funding would allow phase one of the project to begin by refurbishing Kellingley Sports Pavilion, in Wakefield. The work is part of plans to create the Knottingley Community Hub at the “dilapidated” site. A report to senior councillors said the current building is ‘not serving the general population’

The report says: “The newly refurbished building will have two separate entrances to provide segregation between community and social functions, new facade works to create a refreshed building and a level interior to ensure accessibility for all, which will mean the local population, including women and young people, would be more likely to use the facility.”

Refurbishment work on the pavilion will ensure that changing rooms and facilities are fit for purpose.

A report to Wakefield Council cabinet members states: “The club building has suffered from a lack of investment over a period of years that has resulted in the building becoming dated and less appealing to the wider community of Knottingley. The building is still viewed to be an important part of the community due to its heritage and standing and therefore the project was progressed to address both these issues and ensure a safe, modern and accessible building was delivered for a range of uses for the benefit of Knottingley.”

The full cost of the project is estimated to be £10.7m, mainly due to the poor condition of the building. The report states that officers will continue to look for further funding from organisations including the lottery, Sports Foundation and Coalfields Regeneration. The full refurbishment of the site will not be completed until new lease arrangements on the building have been settled.

The site, including playing fields, main building and pavilion has been on a 60-year lease to the trustees of Kellingley Miners’ Social Welfare Centre since 1965. The trustees wish to surrender the existing lease and see the council grant a new lease to allow them to seek seek funding opportunities to make the charity more sustainable.

Describing the poor state of the building, the report says: “The entire building requires a full overhaul and refurbishment and it is evident that the lack of investment over the years has taken a heavy toll on the property, hastening it’s dilapidation beyond what could not normally have been conceived.”

A recent health report identified Knottingley as being one of the ten areas in the Wakefield district with the poorest health.

The report continues: “Knottingley also suffers from a lack of community assets, which exacerbates these entrenched challenges. When the children’s centre closed around ten years ago, a number of other services withdrew from Knottingley due to a lack of suitable venues to run services.

"Apart from the Kellingley Club, Knottingley does not have an established community anchor or hub in Knottingley itself. A vibrant, welcoming hub which provides facilities for all ages is essential to reduce inequalities.”

Cabinet members will consider a recommendation to release £5.9m of funding to carry out work to the pavilion at meeting on Tuesday, January 17.