Turf cut for new conference and community centre in Thornhill (From Daily Echo)
When news happens, text SDE and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Turf cut for new conference and community centre in Thornhill
8:40am Tuesday 29th June 2010 in Local Focus - Thornhill
WORK is under way on a £10m conference and community centre in Southampton.
A turf-cutting ceremony signalled the start of construction at Eastpoint Centre in Burgoyne Road, in Thornhill.
The centre, due for completion in a year’s time, will be a hub for businesses and communities in the city.
It will boast the latest business conference facilities in a three-storey 3,770 sq m development.
There will also be training space for businesses and meeting rooms for community groups, a social club and a restaurant area.
Councillor Royston Smith, deputy leader of Southampton City Council, said: “This will bring a renewed sense of community and pride to Thornhill and this coupled with the major regeneration work taking place at Hinkler Parade demonstrates the council’s commitment to improving the quality of people’s lives.”
The conference and community centre will be locating within the existing grounds of Eastpoint, which used to be a school but was changed to community use 26 years ago.
Pictured cutting the turf are, from left, Phil Durigan, John Denham MP, Jean Roost and Martin Orr.
Echo pictures by James Newell. Order no: 10683455 (above) and 10683434 (right)
Comments(3)
Tommy News
says...
12:31pm Tue 29 Jun 10
My View from the Hill
says...
1:50pm Tue 29 Jun 10
Tommy News wrote:How did Royston Smith or the council pay for it?
Well done to Cllr Smith and other local ward councillors for all your support. They have helped lobby for this development and facilitate planning of it. There have been countless meetings of the Eastpoint board before monies could be secured to fund it with many set-backs and delays from central government - John Denham MP was completely lacking in his support as government minister. As the Council has an interest in the land, then ofcourse they are involved. More importantly the council represents the interests of the local community and strives to attact outside investment to the city. It is great to finally see progress on this site.
I think you will find the regeneration board paid/lent £4.5 million for the Eastpoint board to secure the site, which they will have to pay some back.
The council do not represent the interest of local people, they may claim too, but really if it was not for the regeneration board spending former government funding Thornhill would be the same as it was 9 and half years ago.
My View from the Hill says...
9:15am Tue 29 Jun 10
Are the council taxpayers paying for it then Royston?
If there are, then how much?
If they're not, it's got nothing to do with the council, so how are you committed?