Ottershaw Village Hall needed refurbishment and extension to continue providing good quality facilities, to meet all current legal requirements and the expectations of current users.

What was needed?
Replacement of doors and windows to reduce draughts and improve insulation.
Renewal and enlargement of the kitchen
New toilets with provision for the disabled and baby changing facilities
Easy access and use to comply with the Disabilities Discrimination Act.
Additional meeting space
Secure storage for regular user groups.
New electrical and hot water systems
Correction of subsidence to the rear extension
Modernisation of the main Hall to make it warmer.
To reduce the environmental impact of running the Hall by making it energy efficient in terms of heating, reducing water usage and improving soundproofing.
Separate dressing rooms for children and adults.

Renovation Works
Renovation and extension has been planned as a series of projects and phases – see plan below. This has the advantage that the works can be prioritised and carried out as funding becomes available. Also the building will remain in use as much as possible with periods of closure scheduled for the summer and holiday periods when usage is low.

The main phases are as follows:
Phase 1a (in red). Re-development of toilet block with disabled and baby changing facilities, also relocation of the existing electric distribution board.
Phase 1b (in blue). An extension to the main Hall providing a separate smaller meeting room and extended kitchen facilities.

Phase 1 and the correction of the subsidence (covering virtually all of the first eight of the eleven objectives set out above) has now been completed and was officially opened by our MP, the Rt Hon Mr Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for Transport on 17 September 2011.

Phase 2 (in black) is the main Hall refurbishment and development. This includes improvements to the thermal and acoustic insulation of the main building, replacing the electrical circuits serving the hall and stage.

Phase 3 (in pink). This will involve extension to the rear of the stage to provide more and improved changing rooms.

The intention is to renovate and extend the existing building in a series of project phases – see plan below. This has the advantage that the works can be prioritised and carried out as funding becomes available. Also the building will remain in use as much as possible with periods of closure scheduled for the summer and holiday periods when usage is low. The main phases are as follows:

Phase 1a (in red). Re-development of toilet block with disabled and baby changing facilities, also relocation of the existing electric distribution board.

Phase 1b (in blue). An extension to the main Hall providing a separate smaller meeting room and extended kitchen facilities.

Phase 2 (in black) is the main Hall refurbishment and development. This includes alteration of stair access to first floor balcony, general overall improvements to electric circuits, ceiling and roof with additional thermal and sound insulation plus various new doors, windows and disabled access.

Phase 3 (in pink). This will involve extension to the rear of the stage to provide more and improved changing rooms.

Plans

For more detail see the Plans (download PDF format).

Expected Outcomes

Provision of facilities complying with the Disabilities Discrimination Act
Increased usage of Hall facilities by a wider range of community users.
Reduced energy consumption
Reduced noise pollution from the Hall
Increased viability of the Hall to enable continued provision of a key community asset.

The cost!

The current estimate of the total amount needed to undertake all the project phases, development and refurbishment is over £375,000 (excluding VAT). Phase 1a and b will cost about £220,000 (excluding VAT).
Whilst the Hall is financially sustainable with respect to maintenance and running costs, the surplus income derived from lettings is insufficient to fund these works.