'˜Exciting' new youth centre for Littlehampton with better facilities planned

Plans are being progressed to replace The Keystone Centre with a new youth and community hub on nearby open space in Eldon Way.

Arun District Council cabinet members agreed to develop a project brief and commit funding towards the scheme last Monday.

The existing facility would remain open until the new centre is ready.

Mike Northeast, district councillor for the area and both chair of the Keystone Centre’s management committee and a trustee, said: “It will give our young people a new, modern, energy efficient facility that can cope with the needs of our future up and coming generations.”

He added: “It’s not just about providing somewhere our young people can kick a football about, important as that is, but also providing a safe environment to teach the life skills needed to face the future but in a more fun way and in a modern new facility.”

He praised the centre’s small committee of volunteers mentioning Jon Jolly and previous secretary Clare Potter.

Cllr Northeast told cabinet members: “Most of the money we now raise goes on papering over the cracks and the cracks are getting bigger and we are spending more and more on the building, because it’s a building well past its use by date and it does need replacing.”

He described the provision of a new youth centre as a ‘very exciting prospect’.

Moving location across the road will also make it easier to incorporate sports facilities into the upgraded new centre.

The new facility has been made possible by developer contributions, ADC funding and land. Once completed the new youth centre would be leased to Littlehampton Town Council.

Nigel Lynn, ADC chief executive, described the scheme as a great example of partnership working.

Proposals will be subject to consultation, a feasibility study and partnership funding, cabinet members were told.