A CHRISTCHURCH councillor believes the time could be right to look into replacing Druitt Hall to provide a facility that can benefit residents “in a much better way”.

BCP and town councillor Simon McCormack said the option of a new building on the town centre site should be explored.

The hall is owned by Christchurch Town Council, with a current 10-year lease running with Druitt Hall Community Association on a peppercorn rent.

The subject of the hall was discussed at a recent meeting of the local authority’s community committee as the windows need replacing. It was estimated that the project, which would require a planning application, would need a budget of around £40,000.

Members agreed to instruct a surveyor to undertake a “cost benefit analysis”, so that best value for public money could be obtained.

Giving his opinion on the situation, Cllr McCormack told the Christchurch Times: “Druitt Hall has been part of the community for a long time, but as a semi-qualified building surveyor myself, I think it has come to the end of its life.

“I believe the town council should really be exploring if there was an opportunity to either fix or repair the current building, which I think is unlikely given its construction, or be looking to perhaps replace it with something that would benefit Christchurch in the future in a much better way.”

Cllr McCormack added: “It hasn’t really got a very good heating system, the roof is asbestos, the windows are old. It is really not that functional with the design of the building and the way the chairs coming out of the doors on the side of the hall.

“I think it would benefit Christchurch in the future (to replace it) although it is a brilliant part of our history and, obviously, shouldn’t be forgotten.

“Perhaps it should be time the town council looks into replacing it.”

Druitt Hall was built in 1953 to commemorate the Coronation.

A plan to redevelop the hall site was launched by Christchurch Borough Council in 2012, but following a long campaign, the Friends of Druitt Hall saved the facility and an initial three-year lease was given to DHCA in 2014.

In 2017, the association secured a 10-year extension to this agreement.