A NEW community centre for Gillingham has been given nearly £3.5 million by the district council.

Councillors at North Dorset District Council agreed to hand over £3,350,000 to community group, the Three Rivers Partnership (3RP).

The money will allow 3RP’s volunteers to transform the existing leisure centre at Harding’s Lane into a multi-purpose building with a community hall, competition standard swimming pool, and sports facilities.

Mark Hebditch, 3RP’s chairman, said: “Now we have secured the major funding, the target of opening the doors of the new centre within the year has become a reality.”

A contractor will now be appointed, with community leaders hoping that work at the site will start in the New Year and finish next autumn.

But the group’s fundraising quest is far from finished. The total cost of the project is nearly £6.4m.

Local fundraising expert Nick Mason will seek new capital grants for the community hall and identify ways of meeting day-to-day running costs.

The release of council cash follows a draft business plan showing major savings to community groups, including exemption from VAT and business rates.

District council leader Cllr Peter Webb said he was proud of the efforts made by the district, 3RP, and Gillingham Town Council.

“Not only have we agreed funding for the project at the right time but we have ensured that decisions have been based on very sound business plans,” said Cllr Webb.

The district will transfer its £850,000 building to the Gillingham Open Spaces Trust for a nominal £1, and has already pumped in £650,000 to support the group’s planning application.

The town council gave £232,000 to the project earlier this year and has set aside a further £50,000.

A similar amount has been identified in next year’s budget.