Council provides update on Paddocks refurbishment progress
On Tuesday 13 August, Castle Point Borough Council will discuss progress of the refurbishment project at the Paddocks Community Centre, including proposals to undertake additional electrical and other ancillary works necessary to enable the community building to safely re-open to the public.
Councillor Tom Gibson, Portfolio Holder for Special Projects & Assets, said: "We always knew that the historic lack of planned preventative maintenance prior to us taking up office and capital works at the Paddocks would be a problem for any refurbishment project. We built in contingency as you would normally do for most unexpected works, but we did not anticipate having to re-wire the whole building as part of this initial phase. It is money we would have had to spend at a later date in any event, but the nature of the way the building is configured means that we need to do it now, if the Paddocks is to safely re-open to the public as soon as possible.
"Naturally I am disappointed that these works will inevitably delay the planned re-opening of the building, but they are essential to ensure our communities can continue to use this valued historic venue, and also to create opportunities for partners and community groups to use and benefit from this community space."
If approved, the Council expects this phase of the renovation to be completed by February 2025.