Work is underway transforming a former primary school site in Blofield near Norwich into a new community hub.
The Blofield Community Hub has been designed as a modern, energy-efficient facility to provide a welcoming focal point to the growing community, funded with £650,000 from the Greater Norwich Growth Board.
Broadland District Council has also agreed a £100,000 Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) loan to support the project along with further funding provided through Blofield Parish Council’s own CIL reserves and Section 106 developer contributions.
Cllr Sue Holland, Leader of Broadland District Council, said: “This is a fantastic investment in Blofield and a great example of how developer contributions can be used to provide the infrastructure our growing communities need.
“This new hub will be much more than a building. It will provide a place where people can meet, children can learn and play, and local groups and organisations can thrive.
“Blofield Parish Council has shown tremendous commitment to this project over many years, and I am delighted that, working with our partners through the Greater Norwich Growth Board, we have been able to help turn that ambition into reality.”
The new community hub will include a village hall with a kitchen, community café and office space, alongside a new re-purposed home for Blofield Preschool.
It will also include outdoor space for the preschool plus new parking for cars and bicycles.
The new development adds to the prior improvements made to the surrounding green space, which included a new play area and outdoor gym equipment.
It follows the relocation of Blofield Primary School to a new £11.3million school site.
The start of construction was marked with a ground-breaking event on November 3, bringing together the organisations involved in making the project possible.
