BRIDESTOWE should be able to have a new village hall — partly paid for by the sale of the present site.

A hall committee meeting recently decided the land at Tanyard Court is no longer required for use as a village hall. Instead the site will be sold for residential development, subject to planning permission being obtained.

David Porter, chairman of the Bridestowe Village Hall management committee, said the decision at the meeting was 'unanimous'.

There will now be a public meeting on July 31 in Bridestowe Parish Church when it is hoped residents will provide active support for the new approach.

Mr Porter said Tanyard Court was a very expensive site to re-develop for a village hall.

He said: 'It was an odd-shaped site with no car parking. Now we are hoping to have a good village hall on a virgin site.'

Mr Porter said the committee had a new site in mind.

'Instead of being in the centre of the village it will be on the edge. I think when we put together the final application for grant applications it will work this time,' he said.

The existing hall has been closed since October 2001 because it no longer has a licence for public events.

It is not practical or possible to bring the hall up to the standards required.

Mr Porter said the committee has obtained planning permission for a new hall on the existing site.

But it had not been possible to obtain the funds to commence building, despite applications for grants in 2000 and 2001 and lobbying in 2002. As a result it was not possible to use the site for a new hall.

'In making the decision that the site should be sold, the committee will invest the proceeds in trust for the charity,' Mr Porter said.

'It will then use those funds for the purpose of obtaining planning permission, purchasing land in a new location in Bridestowe and building a new hall for the benefit of the inhabitants of the area. This is being actively worked upon by the committee.'

Mr Porter said the proceeds from the old site would be used for the new site.

'This will cost less because the new site is cheaper by buying farm land — and it is easier to build on.

'We want to get full support from the community all the way through, because this time we will do it. I'm hoping it will be open in 2004.'