The former Prudhoe East Centre site may soon become a new youth and community facility, thanks to a £42,000 funding boost.
This follows a visit by local officials, including Northumberland County Council leader Glen Sanderson, Councillor Gordon Stewart from Prudhoe South, Prudhoe Town Council mayor Bryan Futers, and Caroline Warburton from Prudhoe Community Partnership (PCP).
The PCP is proposing that the new facility is developed on the site of the former East Centre at the end of Front Street.
Northumberland County Council is contributing £27,000, and Prudhoe Town Council £15,000, to support feasibility work for the project.
The initiative is hoped to 'breathe new life' into the site while providing a new base for youth and community activities, alongside complementing the existing ones.
The history of the site dates back to 1825, and a key part of the project is considering how its heritage can be reflected in the design.
The site, once a school and subsequently a youth centre and the home of Prudhoe Open Door until its closure in 2017, holds fond memories for many residents.
Although not all the site is suitable for redevelopment, some prominent features and part of an existing building could be 'retained and repurposed'.
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County council leader Glen Sanderson said: "I really enjoyed visiting Prudhoe again and meeting some brilliant local people who are working so hard to regenerate the East Centre site.
"I am sure that between us all we will see real progress on this very important site taking place very soon and the County Council is full square behind this."
Caroline Warburton, chair of PCP said: “Thanks to everyone’s input to date we now feel we have a great project proposal to take forward alongside the other assets the Partnership manages in the town for everyone’s benefit, including the popular Spetchells Centre and Prudhoe Community Hub.
“The news of this funding will help us to move to the next stage of developing this project in readiness to secure capital funding for project delivery. We appreciate both the county and town council’s support and are looking forward to working together on this exciting new project for the town during 2024 and beyond.”
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