Councillors are set to discuss the future of Burnham-On-Sea’s Princess Hall and consider the possible sale of the town’s Community Centre in Berrow Road at a meeting on Wednesday (December 3rd).
The loss-making Princess, pictured here, and a £5million scheme to redevelop it will be debated by Sedgemoor District Council’s Executive committee in Bridgwater.
Nicola Slawski, Group Manager of Regeneration at Sedgemoor District Council, states in a report to be considered at the meeting: “The regeneration scheme relies on income from related land transactions and a substantial injection of external funding through bidding in response to new funding opportunities.”
“Whilst there is still potential to raise income from the sale of the community centre and adult education sites, the value of these sites is likely to have fallen in recent months.”
“The [regeneration] scheme is considered of sufficient quality to attract substantial funding, but there are significant concerns about the future flow of funding opportunities at a suitable level given the very large amounts of Government funds being directed at addressing the current financial crisis.”
The district council has a published target of agreeing a way forward on the Princess by March 2009.
The town council also discussed the future of the Princess at a behind-closed-doors meeting before its full meeting on Monday evening (December 1st) and Cllr Chris Williams will be adressing Wednesday’s meeting.
Sedgemoor District Council has been responsible for the Princess Hall since
taking over the building from the Town Council in the mid 1990’s. Many town councillors, along with residents, are keen to see its future safeguarded.
Burnham resident Tony Lynham spoke in favour of the Princess at a recent town council meeting.
