£900,000 works to transform community hub 'making progress'
Work in progress on the roof repairs and refurbishment at the Hellesdon Community Centre costing £900,000 - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2021
The Covid 'pingdemic' and supply chain issues have caused delays for £900,000 works to transform a community hub in a suburb village.
Hellesdon Community Centre, in Middletons Lane, is undergoing a three-stage plan to refurbish the facility which is 70-years-old.
The first stage involves £450,000 works to transform the roof which had been leaking and were "full of holes".
Work in progress on the roof repairs and refurbishment at the Hellesdon Community Centre costing £900,000. - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2021
The second phase of the community centre project will see internal mechanical and engineering replacements including new boilers, heating and windows.
There will also be improved disability access and toilets, solar panels and insulation as part of this stage.
And the parish council is looking to run a consultation process next year for the final stage of the works with an extension to the centre being discussed.
Work in progress on the roof repairs and refurbishment at the Hellesdon Community Centre costing £900,000. - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2021
Contributions from the Royal Norwich Golf Club development have funded the roof works which are estimated to be completed by mid-January after an initial target of November.
Workers were pinged by the NHS Covid app causing two-week delays to the roof work before national supply chain problems caused a further hold-up.
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Parish council chairman David King said there have also been structural issues causing delays as workers found the first set of roof trusses did not fit.
Hellesdon Parish Council chairman David King - Credit: Antony Kelly
"It was slightly more complex than we envisaged but the predominant reasons for the six-week delay were Covid and the supply chain," Mr King said.
"All the bricks are ready on the roof and there are men out on the site on a daily basis. The interior work is ongoing and making progress."
Work in progress on the roof repairs and refurbishment at the Hellesdon Community Centre costing £900,000. - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2021
Hellesdon county and district councillor Shelagh Gurney said: "People are moaning a bit but but at the end of the day we want a building which is fit for purpose.
"We do not want a rushed job. Delays are happening across the building industry with Covid."
Speaking about the extension work, Mr King added: "This is an ongoing project and we are looking at the feedback from what people want in particular for that extension."
Work in progress on the roof repairs and refurbishment at the Hellesdon Community Centre - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2021
A site meeting will be held next Thursday where there will be more clarity on the timescale.
