The £30 million Community Assets programme funded by the OTS and delivered by the Big Lottery Fund, has confirmed the first grant to be £337,000 funding for the Pelton Fell Community Resource Centre in Chester-le-Street. Under the scheme, the centre will be transferred into the hands of the community who will actually use it. The Community Assets programme is designed to enable third sector organisations to have greater control over the assets they use, such as community buildings. In April 2008, 38 projects across England were shortlisted to receive grants and were invited to develop detailed plans for the project for a non-competitive assessment. All shortlisted projects are then assessed over a four-month period from the date of submission. The £337,000 Community Assets grant confirmed today, funds part of a £937,000 partnership between Chester-le-Street District Council and Pelton Fell Community Group. Work will start this autumn through to summer 2009 to refurbish and extend the Pelton Fell Community Resource Centre. Over 3,000 people from Pelton Fell and neighbouring areas plus around 30 community organisations will benefit from the grant. The Pelton Fell Community Group will manage the community centre which will bring a new lease of life to the area enabling them to take a brave step forward into the world of social enterprise including cultivating new community interests, a community café sports bar and multi-use games area (MUGA) to deliver the priorities identified by local residents. The asset will be transferred via a 99-year lease at a peppercorn rent.

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12 November 2008
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