TOOTHILL’S £1m golden lottery ticket is finally getting closer to being spent as ideas forge ahead on how to transform the community centre.

Residents will for the first time see what these options are as the Toothill Big Local (TBL) group put the proposals on the table at a public consultation.

The plans include improving the existing centre, which the committee says could be anything from giving it a lick of paint to completely renovating the facilities. Another proposal is to completely rebuild it.

A third option is to build a brand-new community centre at a different location. It could include an adventure playground, football pitch and basketball court.

Land occupied in Bodium Drive by the listed Toothill Farm house and cow shed, which is used by Scout and Cub groups, has been earmarked and the current community centre in Toothill Village Centre may be developed into flats.

But concerns have been raised by councillors in the area and some residents leaving nearby at the impact this may have. Last week flyers were circulated criticising the group for not gauging public opinion first.

Now Peter Egan, vice chairman of TBL, has moved to reassure the community it is only one idea.

“The Toothill Big Local has been entrusted to look after our lottery funds and work with the community to enrich and improve the area, and the lives of those who live here now, and in the future,” he said.

“Our goal and aspiration is that we have something concrete by the end of the year, which is only five months away.

“The community centre is 32 years old. It is very tired and a number of us have spent a lot of time, many hundreds of hours, over the last couple of years developing ideas as to how it might be upgraded.”

Previous public consultation have been poorly attended, so he hopes the one on September 17, at a time and date to be confirmed, will attract a large crowd in order the chosen plan reflects exactly what all 5,000 residents want.

Peter added: “The committee can take away the views of the community to go to the next stage of the development.”

It has been almost five years since Toothill was one of the first 50 areas in the country to be awarded a £1m grant from the National Lottery over a 10 year period.

And Peter admits residents may well have forgotten about the money because of the years of groundwork and investigations that have been required.

But he wants to make it clear this money is in the community’s hands with the purpose to secure the centre for future generations.

He added: “We don’t want to spend a small fortune on something and see it collapse. The first thing it needs is community support, the next thing it needs is a useful business plan which will be scrutinised by a third party.

“The third thing it needs is an appropriate leasing agreement with the council. It would be absurd for us to progress something that is not supported by a worthwhile lease. We don’t want it for a year, or ten years. Ideally we want it for at least 25 years.”

Groups can also apply for funding out of the money pot, which currently stands at just under £930,000.

For more information go to: toothillbiglocal.co.uk or email info@toothillbiglocal.co.uk