Background
Partridge Green’s current village hall was built in 1904 and enlarged by extension in the 1970s. It is run by a charitable Village Hall Trust (PGVHT). The building is used by many local groups, including our community pre-school, clubs and societies meetings, amateur dramatics, parties and village events. However, as this analysis shows, the range of activities in our hall compares poorly to more modern community facilities in other comparable-sized villages in this area. This is mainly due to our building’s small size and poor internal layout. These issues affect regular building users and limit demand for external bookings, hence bookings income is stuck at an unsustainably low level.
Concerns about the fitness-for-purpose of the current building date back to the early 1990s. Since then, both PGVHT and West Grinstead Parish Council (WGPC), have been setting aside funds for a new community facility (which currently total ~£150K). In 2023 the VHT and WGPC agreed to jointly launch a new round of community consultation around a new hall renewal project.
Consultations and feasibility work
In December 2023 Partridge Green residents were surveyed for their views on our current village hall, and how they would like it to be improved. The feedback confirmed that although the current hall remains well-used, its age, size and layout mean that it does not offer a satisfactory level of facilities. 47% said that more space is needed. Many flagged the small size of the main hall and its awkward layout relative to the stage, inadequate storage, and fact that access to both the kitchen area and the toilets is restricted to users of the main hall. 20% of comments criticised toilet facilities. An overwhelming 94% of respondents supported a project to review and improve this facility.
During 2024 a Feasibility Steering Group of volunteer residents reviewed the situation thoroughly and in October produced an appraisal of the options available. Both PGVHT and WGPC endorsed the Steering Group’s analysis and agreed to consult further with the community on the two options that the report identified as potentially feasible. A further public consultation was run in January 2025 to inform decisions on next steps. The community was presented with a synopsis of key points from the Steering Group’s report, via a web page and a ‘storyboard’-based two-day public exhibition event. The focus was on these two options:
- Option 1: Demolish the current hall and rebuild on the same site, or
- Option 2: Build a new hall facility in KGV, including replacement of the existing sports and social facilities there.
The key results of this consultation were:
- 98% supported a major project to renew our Village Hall; and
- A large majority (c.80%) supported the option for a new build at the King George V field, subject to further consideration of access/car parking, lighting etc
The emerging project
With this community backing, the PGVHT and WGPC have agreed to progress a KGV-based project to bring our main community building up to modern standards, with facilities that are relevant to more residents. The need for this project is underlined by the outlook for housing development around Partridge Green which features potential approval of 350+ new homes over the coming decade or so (i.e. 35-40% growth of the village). This is an important moment to try to deliver a facility that is fit for the future community.
In addition to the need to renew the village hall itself, it has also become clear in recent years that the structure and facilities of the existing KGV sports pavilion are nearing the end of their useful life and will also soon need major update. The fact that this can be delivered at much better value for money as part of a single large build project (as opposed to a standalone like-for-like replacement pavilion) adds to the reasons why it makes sense to seek to build a single new multi-use community facility in the KGV.
Therefore the project vision has evolved into creating a vibrant multi-use village hub centred on the site of the current KGV sports pavilion. It is expected that the new building would be owned by WGPC but leased long-term to the PGVHT Community Interest organisation. The aim is to deliver all of the desirable facilities of a village hall as well as modern sports changing facilities and a more attractive new social space.
Current work
In March 2025 a New Community Facility Joint Steering Group (NCFJSG) was set up with a brief to take forward the project for a new facility in the King George V recreation ground, up to the point of pre-application engagement with planners and a community referendum on whether to commit to investment. The steering group meets on a monthly basis with terms of reference that include commissioning of relevant professional advice, using a limited part of the reserve funds already earmarked by both bodies. This is a transparent process, with the work of the steering group being fully recorded, and all major decisions, including financial, referred to both parent bodies for decision.
PGVHT and WGPC have tasked the steering group, in the first instance, with progressing a KGV-based scheme to the point of completing a planning pre-application engagement with Horsham District Council. This process will clarify and test all of the key feasibility elements of the project, including:
- drafting a new building design that delivers for both current user groups and expansion of new activities;
- drafting a residential redevelopment plan for the current village hall site to contribute to the project’s funding needs, involving a design that is acceptable to neighbouring residents and planners;
- confirming that we can put together a viable plan for project costs and funding; and
- sounding-out the positions of key external agencies (e.g. Horsham District Council planners, West Sussex CC, Fields in Trust etc.), including any objections they may raise.
As of early 2026, the steering group has made good progress, including on these key threads:
- Confirming the steering group membership, terms of reference, working budget and operating rules;
- Engagement of project architects and production of early scheme plans for the new KGV facility and early outline options for residential redevelopment of the current village hall site;
- Consultations with key building user groups regarding their requirements;
- Initial legal advice for both WGPC and PGVT, including opening liaison with Fields In Trust (the guardian charity for King George V recreation fields) and clarifying various other charity law issues;
- Starting the process of mapping heads of terms of a future lease arrangement for the new building;
- Financial planning, including agreeing fundraising approaches and getting cost/valuation advice.
Subject to a positive pre-application engagement with planners and other key agencies, there is a clear undertaking to conduct a further referendum-style consultation with the community before committing to take this project forward to building work or other major investments.
Keeping residents informed and up to date
The Frequently Asked Questions document below provides a large amount of information about the history, rationale and current project aims and priorities. This web page, and the FAQ document, will be updated progressively. In due course, draft building designs will also be published. Residents will also see quarterly updates in the West Grinstead Newsletter. Queries regarding the work of the group can be raised via pgnewvhgroup@gmail.com.