No row over Felpham hall

Parish council chairman Cllr Paul English said the facility would be completed to become a benefit to residents.

It is being built as part of the site six housing estate of some 800 homes. A similar scheme in North Bersted has become mired in controversy after its council walked away from the project, as reported.

But Cllr English told Tuesday’s meeting of Felpham’s council the same situation would not affect its centre. “It is a totally different situation with totally different builders,” he said. “I believe we have dotted all the I’s and crossed all the T’s.”

The completed building will be given to the parish council when it pays a nominal £1 to Arun District Council.

Cllr English said the new facility would be a much-needed asset for the area.

“There is insufficient hall space in Felpham. When you want to hold a decent meeting, there is no decent hall space.”

The main meeting space in the centre would have four meeting rooms within it to offer a large amount of flexibility, he said.

The intention was to hand its daily running over to trustees, as had been done successfully at Pagham.

He added: “We need to cover the running costs of the hall so it keeps going.”

The centre will be sited among the new housing being built.