The old village hall has become unsuitable for use for the following reasons:

1. The building has been extended and now completely fills its site. There is no room for expansion.
2. The building is rapidly becoming structurally unsound and in a poor state of repair.
3. Toilets and kitchen do not meet current legislative requirements. To adapt them to current regulations would mean extending the kitchen, reducing the hall's currently available floor area by almost half.
4. The upper floor is inaccessible to wheelchair users and other people with disabilities.
5. Fire escapes are inadequate and the ground floor fire exits open directly onto steep steps into private property.
6. There is no car parking space or safe 'set down' point.
7. Health & Safety officers could decide to close the building at any time

What are the options?

1. Do Nothing
   Given the problems set out above the hall will continue to deteriorate. As it falls far short of current legislative requirements, notably in regard to Health and Safety and the Disability Discrimination Act, there is a strong possibility that it will be forced to close and the village will be without a community facility. A village in West Sussex recently lost a case brought by a disabled person and was ordered to pay costs and damages.
   
   
2. Repair and Renovation
   Whilst some of the deficiencies of the current hall could be rectified, this would be at significant cost (certainly into six figure sums) and result in substantial loss of usable floor space. Would the end result justify the expenditure required, even if funding for such a purpose could be found?
   
   
3. Use Other Buildings in the Village
   The only other hall intended for general use is the sports hall attached to Barcombe School. It is not compatible with or appropriate for use as a community hall. Other buildings are not owned by the community (church, fire station, public house) and are not suitable for long term community use.
   
   
4. New Build
   A new purpose-built facility is the only option which will enable us to meet the current and future needs of the village community. The Parish Council has already purchased a piece of land on the edge of the village; planning permission has been granted for the new hall. Permission has also been obtained for the conversion of the old hall into three affordable homes, much needed in the centre of the village. Sale of the current hall for this purpose would generate a substantial sum, which it is anticipated would cover almost half of the cost of the new build.

So, what's the new Barcombe Village Hall going to look like?