Project Update as of 12-01-26
The Steering Committee have voted to approach a company providing modular building solutions to provide a general quote for an outline design based on the agreed requirements. Full Council have requested that the Committee review the criteria for additional stakeholders and the Committee are meeting again on 20-01-26 to progress the project. The agenda will be published within 3 clear days of the meeting and can be access by clicking here. (link will be live once the agenda is published).
Project Update as of 29-08-25
The first meeting of the Steering Committee took place on 27-08-25 where the terms of reference, mission statement & communications strategy for the project was agreed by Councillors. These documents will now be submitted to the Full Council at their next meeting, scheduled for 09-09-25. Councillors have agreed to set up a working party where interested parties can discuss the project and feed recommendations to the Steering Committee directly. This will be Chaired by Cllr. Keith Lloyd. To view the documents and the minutes of the Steering Committee meeting please click here.
Project Update as of 13-08-25
The Parish Council have voted to move forward with the Community Build Project and have set up a Steering Committee. It’s first meeting is scheduled for 27th August 2025. The Steering Committee will focus initially on identifying the terms of reference to include who it will determine to be a stakeholder and its delegated authority, including financial, on the project. The minutes of the EGM meeting that took place in July (available here) reports on the resolutions made by Council regarding the project. Once the Steering Committee have had their first meeting, the minutes will be available under the agendas & minutes page (available here) and an update will be posted to this page. For any additional queries regarding the community build project, please contact the Clerk on parishclerk@burwashparishcouncil.gov.uk or 07375809660.
Project Update as of 04-03-25
The Parish Council voted to agree to fund another structural survey on the parish office and rooms to determine the viability of the spaces. This has now taken place and the survey has been completed. Please click here to view the report.
Project Update as of 14-01-25
The Parish Council voted at the Full Council meeting held on 14th January 2025 to pause the project to build a new Community Hub facility. This decision was taken due to the changing landscape at local government level and the potential devolution of Rother District Council and the withdrawal by main Government of the main source of community funding. The Clerk advised that it would make sense to pause the project until alternative sources for community funding become available and the strategic community funding has been established at a local government level.
The Community Hub Alternatives Working Party is still live and meeting to assess whether alternative options could be viable. To review the minutes of the meetings had so far by the working party, please click here.
Project Background
The Neighbourhood Plan identified that residents would like to see a new Community Hub facility within Burwash. The Parish Council have identified in their business plan, agreed in October 2023, the replacement of the current parish office, parish rooms, scout hut and public toilets with a new facility that would incorporate additional clinic space that could be used by the NHS to deliver extra services to residents. The Parish Council have resolved to explore this idea by speaking to Rother District Council and project specialists to scope out the potential of the project. Another piece of work is being completed alongside the Community Hub to assess the other spaces available in the parish for their potential use.
Thank you to everyone who responded to the ‘in principle’ survey looking at whether residents would support the Parish Council moving to the next stage of the project. For the results of the survey, please click here.
Results for the whole survey including ideas on what to have in the new spaces can be found in the attachments below.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1). Who will pay for the new building?
The Parish Council intend to apply for grants and use money from developments that are already underway within Burwash to part fund the project. Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding is given to the parish by developers to underpin new infrastructure to support new developments. This has to be spent within 5 years of receipt or it reverts back to the local authority. Other funding would come from government grants and directly from the Parish Council reserves. There is also the possibility that there might be a small amount of borrowing from the Government over a long period of time. Until the scope of the project has been determined, funding cannot be sought so the project is in it’s very early stages.
2). Who will use the new building?
Use of the building is intended for the community and not for business to operate out of. Users would be the Parish Council, Scouts, the NHS and local organisations and groups, i.e. Sussex Outreach Support to provide real community benefit.
3). What will happen to other village halls and spaces in Burwash?
Nothing. They will continue to operate in the way the do currently. Most of the current halls and spaces in Burwash charge for rent or hire and this wouldn’t change.
4). What will the new building look like?
We don’t know that yet. The Parish Council have had an architect put together an impression of what it could look like but the actual building will be decided at a later date once the public procurement has been completed.
5). Will I be able to have my say?
Yes, absolutely, we welcome everyone to have their say on this idea. Consultation will be the backbone of the project. This is just the initial consultation on the ‘idea’. If residents like the idea in principle and the response is positive then the Parish Council will move towards getting planning permissions and funding in place for the next step. Residents have already voted positively on the principle idea of the project and more consultation will be held as the project moves on in the form of surveys, feedback forms and open public meetings.
6). What is the next step?
This is the first stage of a long process. With the positive response of residents to the idea in principle, the Parish Council have resolved to agree to spend £30,000 on procuring the design team including a project manager to get the plan to the stage where the Council could apply for planning. Alongside this phase, Councillors are also exploring other options if the main Community Hub can’t go ahead for any reason. The funding being used for the procurement of the design team comes from the Community Infrastructure Levy received from developers when new buildings are erected in the parish.
If you have a question that hasn’t been answered here, please do contact the Clerk on parishclerk@burwashparishcouncil.gov.uk or 07375 809 660
