Newton Stewart hall takeover
The final decision will be made next week.
A community organisation on a mission to regenerate Newton Stewart has grand plans to transform the Old Town Hall into an information centre for visitors.
The proposal was given the thumbs up by Wigtown Area Committee earlier this month, but Newton Stewart Initiative (NSI) members are now hoping that councillors sitting on Dumfries and Galloway Council’s economy and infrastructure committee will rubber stamp their plans next week.
NSI is seeking to take over the ground floor of the building in a 25-year lease community asset transfer deal, which would come with a discounted rent of £1 per year.
A report on the issue, which is due to be tabled at next Tuesday’s committee, reads: “A review of the local market has established a comparable rent for a similar asset would be in the range of £3,800 per year.
“NSI considers that a discount to £1 is proportionate given the level of social value that the organisation is demonstrating up to or beyond the value of the rental price.
“NSI states that it wishes to acquire a long-term lease of the ground floor of the Old Town Hall to create a wider programme of support for the community and visitors.
“The activities it offers have been determined by community consultation so the result will be a building providing support and information that the community and visitors want and need.”
The report explains that Newton Stewart’s local place plan (LPP) identified High Street regeneration as a major priority for the town, with 56 percent of 1154 respondents sharing concerns about empty buildings in the town centre area.
When NSI surveyed residents, approximately 30 percent of them said there was no cohesion in communicating what is going on in the town – and that they didn’t know when events were happening.
This has influenced the efforts to create a central information point for the town. The facility will serve as a local job centre, events information office, meeting Room and tourist information point for the Cree Valley and wider Machars Area.
If approved, it will also serve at the NSI’s main office, while the upper floor will remain with DGC as a snooker club.
NSI leaders recently posted a message on the organisation’s website, stating: “Paperwork and legal agreements will be drawn up for NSI to sign prior to taking ownership of the building. We will be running consultations in due course on what you would like to see in the building.
“Our vision is that it is a central information point for residents and visitors. We will update you after June 4 with the economy and infrastructure committee decision.”