A major renovation of Budock Village Hall would see a new meeting room built and the kitchen modernised and relocated, to create a space “the local community can genuinely appreciate.”

Proposed designs have now been revealed and are open for feedback from the community.

To get the project up and running, the management committee for Budock Village Hall has been granted funding of £24,999 for the initial stage of the project.

This has enabled them to employ Mar Raum Architects, based in Penryn, and is also paying for all the initial surveys needed.

Ground floor

On the ground floor the renovation project focuses on relocating and modernising the kitchen to a more functional position, so that it is better connected to activities in the hall and the newly-created front terrace.

The idea is to turn the kitchen into “a vital hub that facilitates a seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces.”

It would include the introduction of a new staircase to the lower ground floor, eliminating the disruption of through traffic.

Lower ground floor

On the lower ground floor the project wants to introduce “adaptable spaces” to the village hall, including a new meeting room/cafe and WC, to encourage more diverse uses for the hall.

It would include an accessible entrance from the main rear parking area to the lower ground floor.

The new meeting room would be carefully position to avoid any issue of noise transfer from the main hall, promoting a quieter environment for meetings and activities.

“This redesign also focuses on providing accessible and practical storage solutions, resolving the issues presented by previous inadequate storage facilities,” added the architects.

Falmouth Packet: It is proposed to create a new meeting roomIt is proposed to create a new meeting room (Image: Mar Raum Architects)

The committee has said that the first stage of the project, however, will be to replace the roof.

“The goal is to create a space that the local community can genuinely appreciate,” said the architects of their original brief.

The initial funding has been allocated from Cornwall Council’s Community Capacity Fund. This is part of the Good Growth Programme, which is delivering the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The management committee said it will need to continue applying for grant funding for each stage of the project.

“We have reasonable funds available to pay for any works which would not be covered by grants, or to provide match-funding if this is required. But we cannot carry out all the works we want to do without further grants or donations,” they explained.

A lunch was held at the hall last week to help raise further funds, with thanks given to Ben Ibbotson, head chef at the nearby Trelowarren Arms, who was loaned out by the pub to cook for those attending.

Falmouth Packet: The team behind the fundraising lunch at the hallThe team behind the fundraising lunch at the hall (Image: Keith Rashleigh)

A consultation event was also hosted recently, to hear the views of local residents about the plans.

“This was well attended and allowed people the opportunity to see the designs and speak to our architects and committee members,” added the committee.

The design plans are available online at www.marraum.co.uk/budockwatervh the committee said it would be taking into account all the feedback from community as it moves to further phases of the project.

The management committee can be contacted by email via budockvillagehall@gmail.com to share any opinions about the plans or to offer any support - financial or physical - to help members achieve this major renovation of the village hall.