FINANCIAL backing is being asked from West Dorset District Council to help build a new community hall at Longburton.

District councillors are being asked to approve a £78,800 grant and a £20,000 loan – the loan being repaid by the Cam Vale Parish Council over a 10-year period.

A decision will be made at the district’s strategy committee on February 7th.

If approved the amount should meet the parish council shortfall on the project and allow it to go ahead. In time it will mean the parish council can sell off the old village hall, a former listed Victorian School, to help fund the new building. A planning application has already been submitted to convert it to a three-bed house.

The new hall, costing an estimated £530,000, will be built alongside a new housing development and a play area at the former county council works depot site, with the county council having already agreed in principle to pay £196,000 towards community facilities on the site.

A new hall would be large enough to play badminton unlike the existing hall which is unable to cope even with carpet bowls. Plans are also being made for table tennis, dancing and cinema, talks and demonstrations.