Public use of Moulsham Lodge Community Centre saved (From Chelmsford Weekly News)

Public use of Moulsham Lodge Community Centre saved

8:00am Thursday 13th November 2008 in Local News By Denise Rigby

JUBILANT residents are celebrating after securing the future of a community centre.

And now they say the fight is on to re-form the association that once ran it.

Councillors at Chelmsford Council’s planning committee had been asked to approve a change of use of the empty Moulsham Lodge Community Centre which would allow it to be used as a private medical centre - as well as for community use.

But although allowing the change, the committee put on the restriction that it can only be used as a public hall - scuppering the proposal for a medical centre..

Residents have been fighting for several months to bring the centre - which has been vandalised during the three years it has been closed - back into community use.

Essex County Council who put in the application are the freeholders of the building although it was built and paid for by local residents and run for 30 years by the association before its closure.

Philp Firth, Liberal Democrat councillor for Moulsham Lodge, has been at the forefront of the campaign to get it up and running again.

He spoke movingly at the meeting and said afterwards: “I just can’t believe it - it is staggering. Now we are going to make it happen.

“I have been given a figure of around £150,000 for it to be repaired. The county council should have given the residents the opportunity to open it up again.

“Now we need to start talking to them. It is the beginning of the next stage.”

Lorna Fuller who used to run a toddler group at the centre said the news was “fantastic.”

“We shall be looking at all getting together and holding a public meeting.”