DREAMS to build a ‘much-needed’ community centre for Halstead are not dead yet, despite the money allocated to it going elsewhere.

The bid to bring a proposed community centre to Halstead has been in the pipeline for years.

The project aims to build the new centre in Butler Road and replace the now-demolished Senior Citizens’ Centre in New Street.

Having taken a 999-year lease on the land in 2016, plans to build on the site hit the buffers due to problems with site contamination.

Those issues are still unresolved, with the £600,000 earmarked to go towards the centre from Braintree Council now being allocated elsewhere.

Braintree Council now says the money will be allocated to support community and voluntary groups in the town instead.

Halstead mayor Jackie Pell said: “I am not very happy about it, that money was earmarked for the community centre.

“Halstead people want a community centre - now I feel the money will be frittered away.

“This is my one baby I really want to happen, for everybody.

“It is something everyone wants to see, they have been consulted all the way through.

“The only thing we have is the Queen’s Hall, but it is very restricted with car parking, it is small and limited.

“Instead we need something clubs and organisations can take advantage of, we need a modern plan, we deserve better.”

Mrs Pell continued: “We are still working on the contamination issues, with the town council looking for a way to resolve problem we have.

“If we can overcome that problem we will now have to apply again.

“The problem is Christmas is getting in the way and everything shuts down, but we are working on it and are not giving up.

"We really want and need that £600,000 though. I feel sad and aggrieved by the whole situation.”

Councillor Frankie Ricci, Cabinet Member for Communities at Braintree Council said: “Braintree Council has held this fund for 11 years which was originally earmarked to Halstead Community Centre Trust to help fund a new Halstead Community Centre.

"Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, the Trust have been unable to bring forward a sustainable business case to enable the release of this funding in that time.

"To allow the fund to be invested in the community, it will now be opened up for all voluntary and community sector groups to come forward with projects to benefit the wider Halstead community.

"The Halstead Community Centre Trust will still have the opportunity to put a business case forward to apply for this funding, however, the decision was taken that the funding will no longer be ring-fenced to ensure that it is made use of in a timely manner to benefit the residents of Halstead.”