PLANS for a new pavilion in Liss have taken another major step forward.
At Liss Parish Council’s full council meeting on June 18, parish councillors unanimously agreed to sign the contract to start work on the pavilion.
The building will replace the dilapidated current building and Scout hut, providing flexible, modern facilities for community use.
This is now possible because the parish council has secured all the funding necessary for the project, including receiving government approval for a loan from the Public Works Loan Board.
The parish council had applied for the loan following a formal public consultation of residents in which 68 per cent of respondents voted in favour of an increase to the council tax precept to help deliver the pavilion.
Following a competitive tendering process, to ensure residents get best value for money, the council agreed to sign a contract for the construction with Tildan Construction. Demolition and clearance of the existing site will start next month, and the pavilion is due to open in February 2019.
Liss Parish Council chairman Roger Hargreaves said: “Liss Parish Council is delighted that we have been able to sign the contract to deliver this much-needed new community pavilion.
“Our promise to residents has always been that we will deliver a building that is multi-purpose, fits with its surroundings in the heart of the South Downs National Park, and is affordable for the tax payer. I believe that we will now achieve that.
“Most importantly, our recent consultation on taking out a loan showed there is strong support from Liss residents for this project.
“We very much look forward to completion of this new community facility around February 2019.”