Background
In December 2023 Partridge Green residents were surveyed for their views on our current village hall – its strengths and weaknesses, and how they would like it to be improved. The feedback showed that although the current hall remains well-used, its age, size and ad-hoc layout mean that it does not offer the level of facilities the community would like.
With this message in mind, in early 2024 the Village Hall Trustees set up a Steering Group of volunteer residents with relevant experience, to further analyse responses to the consultation and to scope out the options available to renew our Village Hall.In October 2024 the Steering Group reported to the Trustees with an appraisal of which options to renew our Village Hall facility are available and feasible. The Trustees fully endorsed the analysis presented by the Steering Group and agreed to consult further with the community on these options, before deciding on the best project path to pursue.
Further Community Consultation – January/February 2025
A further public consultation process was run from 15 January to 9 February, to inform Trustee 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 public exhibition event on 24/25 January. The focus was on the two potentially feasible options identified by the Steering Group, i.e.:
- 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.
Participants were surveyed regarding their level of support for both these options, plus qualitative comments on their strengths/weaknesses, and other points that respondents wished to raise. The tabulated results from 142 responses were considered at the next Trustee meeting, and are set out below.
Final-report-on-VH-survey-as-at-Sun-9-Feb-2025-less-comments-linesIn summary, 98% of responses support a major project to renew our Village Hall, and in relation to the two site options, the balance of preferences was:
| Options | Supportive | Not supportive | Neutral |
| 1. Demolish and rebuild on the current site | 30% | 62% | 8% |
| 2. New build at the King George V field | 77% | 19% | 4% |
A large majority of responses therefore favoured Option 2: a new build at the King George V field.
The qualitative comments provided can be summarised:
- In relation to Option 1 (Rebuild on current site): 50 total, of which 16 were supportive;
- In relation to Option 2 (KGV site): 71, of which 52 were supportive;
- Other general comments: 87, largely reflecting support for one option over the other, but also making other useful points about the project.
Focusing mainly on comments made relating to the (overall strongly preferred) KGV option, the following key themes emerge as needing to be addressed for a successful outcome:
- Car parking: it seems likely that existing KGV provision will need to increase;
- Access: the need to review and make changes to ensure safe access onto Shermanbury Road and updating security/gating arrangements;
- Lighting: street lighting on the approaches to the KGV entrance clearly needs improving, and within the site it will be important to create a space that people feel safe in, whilst also minimising nuisance to neighbours and light pollution impact.
Other important points made included:
- Future of the current Village Hall site: if a new facility in the KGV is confirmed as the project direction, this will need to involve clear information and further community consultation regarding the future redevelopment of the existing Village Hall site.
- Financial Planning: given the significant costs involved, thorough business/financial plans for both the capital construction phase and the future sustainable operation of the new facility will be needed.
Trustee decision on favoured site for a new Village Hall
In light of both the analysis set out in its Steering Group report, and the clear balance of public support, the Village Hall Trustees have agreed to undertake further work in partnership with West Grinstead Parish Council, to seek to progress a major project to renew our Village Hall facility at the King George V site.
Next Steps
During March/April 2025 the Village Hall Trustees and West Grinstead Parish Council agreed to set up a New Village Hall Joint Steering Group to take this project forward. The Group’s work has begun and it expects to meet on a monthly basis to progress the project, including commissioning of relevant professional advice, using reserve funds already earmarked by both bodies.
Residents will continue to be regularly updated on project progress via this web page and the quarterly West Grinstead Newsletter. Queries regarding the work of the group can be raised via the Clerk to West Grinstead PC. No decisions regarding major capital investments or planning commitments for a new facility will be made without further community consultation on a finalised/costed design and financial plan.