Vital Cuckfield building safeguarded from developers

The buy follows 12 months of negotiations with West Sussex County Council (WSCC), who put the building up for sale.

An opening ceremony is being planned for the spring with a new name sought to mark the ownership.

A community competition will help nominate a suitable name.

The parish council decided to purchase the building as it provides a unique location close to the medical practice and Holy Trinity Primary School.

For years it has been the home to groups such as Cuckfield Pre-School Play Group, Orchard House Youth Club, Kumon Learning Centre and a karate club.

These groups would have been threatened with closure if the building had been sold to a commercial party.

The building is identified in the Cuckfield Neighbourhood Plan as an essential community building.

85 per cent of the community were in favour of safeguarding the building during consultations.

The parish council thanks Cllr Peter Bradbury (pictured bottom left), who assisted negotiations with WSCC.

The building will continue to run as it is, and the council is identifying value for money maintenance projects.

Cuckfield Parish Council said it will use its experience of running the Queen’s Hall and Church Cemetery and has set up a new Community Building Committee to ensure the building is run with the required financial and regulatory responsibility.

In the long term the parish council plans to seek funding and grants to allow a new purpose-built building to be constructed.

The council plans to make the building available to other groups.

Details and availability are available from the parish office on 01444 451610 or email [email protected]