A NEW £1m state-of-the-art village hall is ready to open in Cofton Hackett to the benefit of hundreds of local residents.

Regeneration specialist St. Modwen has completed work on the building as part of the company's ongoing regeneration of Longbridge.

The firm says the hall 'will be a vital asset for the community, providing a place for local people to come together and hold groups, events and activities'.

Bromsgrove Advertiser:

Located on East Works Drive and Groveley Lane, the 4,000 sq ft hall is central to the housing development created by St. Modwen and is just a few minutes away from Longbridge town centre.

St. Modwen has worked closely with local organisation The Cofton Village Hall Trust on the development of the village hall, which features a kitchen, a main hall, a community room, a meeting room, office space and a sheltered external activity area.

The Trustees at The Cofton Village Hall Trust said: “We’re very grateful to St. Modwen for giving the community this wonderful space and we’re excited to get up and running so local residents can start enjoying groups, events and activities here in Cofton Hackett.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to bring people together and offer a brilliant environment for a variety of different uses.

"We can’t do it without the help of the community and we’re now looking for people who want to help run this excellent facility as part of a new management committee, as well as anyone who’d like to get involved with tasks to keep it running smoothly.”

Bromsgrove Advertiser:

Cofton Village Hall is now open to the public - but, as well as volunteers, at least £45,000 is still needed to fully equip the hall and the trustees are working hard to secure grants, in addition to organising community fundraising activities.

Those wanting to make a donation can do so at www.gofundme.com/CoftonVillageHall.

Anybody wishing to assist with opening and closing the building, general maintenance of the site and some management tasks should contact clfryer@btinternet.com.

For any booking enquiries, email info@coftonvillagehall.org.

Rob Flavell, head of major projects at St. Modwen, said: “We’re halfway through the regeneration of Longbridge and are proud to have worked in partnership with residents and businesses to bring about positive change.

"Longbridge is a vibrant and very special place with a strong sense of community and we know the village hall will be a cherished resource for those in the area.”

Bromsgrove Advertiser:

St. Modwen has created more than 3,000 jobs with its regeneration of Longbridge, which has included more than 1,200 homes with another 250 under construction.

It has also contributed a £70 million town centre revamp comprising the Midlands’ largest Marks & Spencer and other top retail stores, as well as constructing a 60,000 sq ft technology park and a 260-apartment Extracare retirement village.