The project is now well underway with a joint Parish Council and Wealden District

Council Sponsor Board having had its first quarterly meeting. The joint Project Management Team, which reports to the Sponsor Board, has already met a number of times together with a formal monthly review meeting.

An architect has been appointed – Roberts Limbrick – which is a national firm with considerable expertise in the design of both community/sports and health centres. They submitted a design as part of the evaluation process and have been able to commence work on a further two designs with the goal of presenting three designs to the village in late May / early June. Exactly how this will be achieved is dependent on covid restrictions at the time. The initial designs and meetings have been particularly encouraging and exciting.

A cost/quantity surveyor is being appointed so as to ensure a good handle on costs and this same firm will also act as ‘employers agent’ whereby they act as a professional interface between the client and the building contractor.

In parallel with the above negotiations are being undertaken to draft the various leases and development agreements needed to formalise the project.

A programme of work is being finessed between the architect and the Project Management Team and will be made available together with the aforementioned three designs.

Following the village feedback on a preferred design the necessary documentation required for submitting an application for planning permission will be produced with the expectation that planning approval will be obtained in around October / November, whereupon final technical design and buildings specifications can be produced, which will be used for the build contract.