WORK began this week on a unique £1.6-million multi-use community and enterprise centre in Hatherleigh which will play a major role in regenerating the area. Builders have moved onto the centre site off Hatherleigh roundabout and it is expected that building work will be completed by September 2006. Led by the townspeople and pioneered by the Hatherleigh Area Project, the centre will replace the existing 100-year-old town hall. It will provide a community focus for services such as a children?s centre through the government-supported Sure Start initiative, a library, a modern resource for arts and sporting activities as well as providing facilities for vital business advice and support. It was a decade ago that the community first recognized that it needed a new community centre and ever since then, the community of Hatherleigh has become very much involved in the project. Following the foot and mouth epidemic of 2001 when the Hatherleigh area was hard hit, the drive to build a new centre surged forward. The Hatherleigh Area Project was set up following the outbreak to address the social and economic consequences in Hatherleigh and its hinterland. The project team has worked tirelessly to bring in outside funding for the development and the community itself has raised money towards the scheme. Local fundraising and the sale of the existing hall is expected to bring the community?s contribution up to £270,000. Further main funders are Government Office South West through the European Union Objective 2 Fund, £359,000; Mini Sure Start Scheme, £237,000; South West Regional Development Agency, £250,000; Sport England, £130,000; Devon County Council, £113,500, West Devon Borough Council, £101,577 and Hatherleigh Town Council, £25,000.
