THE much needed new Hatherleigh Community Centre came a step closer this week with West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett promising to help put it on the financial fast track for funding.

The centre needs a total of £686,000 for the whole programme and is about to submit a bid for £200,000 to the Community Fund, which is the national lottery. It is hoped this will bring a positive response before Christmas.

The group already has the purchase price of £15,000 for the land — and the plot is about to be bought. Plans have been prepared and will be on view at the Deacon's House in Hatherleigh next week.

'The thing that Hatherleigh needs most is a community centre. An appraisal three or four years ago put one at the top of the list. That will be revalidated,' said Mr Burnett.

He attended a meeting in Okehampton this week with Professor Michael Winter, chairman of the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative; Hatherleigh town mayor Dennis Bater; West Devon Borough Council chief executive David Incoll along with funding co-ordinators Barbara Mercer, Brian Abell and chairman of the regeneration committee, Lt Col Michael Whitley.

'There is a feeling of can-do. We will do it and we must do it as soon as possible. It is very important to the town.'

Mrs Mercer, who is one of the two fundraisers for the community centre, said they had 'had a very positive response' from everybody.

'In view of the fact that this has been the epicentre of foot and mouth there has been a lot of sympathy towards our needs. This has come from the government down.

'Foot and mouth has given us a bit of impetus. We have been fast-tracked because of the urgent need for regeneration — although we were almost ready to go before that. The whole of the funding was slowed down by the crisis — but now everyone has rallied around to help us.'

She said they had the old town hall to sell and were close to £100,000, which will be the town's contribution. The fundraising committee also hopes to raise a further £6,000 by next year.

'There is some money from Europe and the Rural Development Agency — and that will top us up with another £200,000.'

Mrs Mercer said there were also a lot of trusts that would come aboard with small amounts once they saw the major funding coming in.

West Devon Borough Council chief executive David Incoll said he felt this 'exciting project' should succeed. He said it would need to secure funding from a number of different sources to raise the money required to enable a start to be made.

'All the signs are favourable,' said Mr Incoll. He added that he felt it was right the community should look to the future after the problems of foot and mouth.

'We have to move forward and this is something that a community can unite behind. This is something positive for the future.'

Hatherleigh mayor Dennis Bater, who is vice-chairman of the project, said the meeting 'sounded very fruitful and gave us some hope'.

Mr Bater said the town wanted to push ahead with the project as soon as possible.