Transforming Rodborough Community Hall

For the past few months, the whirling of drills and churning of machinery has kept Rodborough Community Hall temporarily retired from its usual duties as a bustling hub of Stroud social life and local politics. But behind the metal fences and flailing tarpulin, and after years of planning, exciting changes are happening. Amplify Stroud donned our hard hats and headed in to get a sneak peek of the exciting transformation of this beloved community resource.

In a statement, Rodborough Parish Council have said they're excited to report the building project is approximately at its halfway point, with an expected handover in September. The state-of-the-art facility is designed to foster community engagement, provide a hub for local activities, and minimise its environmental impact.

Cllr Helen Elliott-Boult, Vice-Chair of Rodborough Parish Council said:

"Rodborough Parish Council staff and Councillors have worked hard to create a welcoming and vibrant space for everyone to use, whilst remaining brilliant value for hire and fulfilling our commitment to supporting the environment."

Why is Rodborough Community Hall being refurbished?

While the basic structure of the older pavilion has been partly retained, the new work is expanding and improving on the existing footprint. The new building features a larger main hall with a vaulted ceiling for large events, workshops, and performances. There's also a brand-new second meeting space for up to 20 people, and a new kitchen.

The refurbishments mean that the expanded and improved facilities of the hall can be enjoyed by diverse community groups and local initiatives for years to come. The community hall has been a focal point for many groups, everything from Rodborough Youth, Pilates, Bridge Club, Choir, Model Engineers, Warm Spaces, and much more.

The Council say the transformation of this 1980’s sports pavilion into a modern building has been guided by a strong environmental focus. For example, there's improved insulation and an investment in sustainable technologies, including air-source heat pumps and ventilation, meaning the gas supply to the building has been permanently removed.

For the council, this has been a once-in-a-generation opportunity to minimise the environmental impact of the building. Other initiatives include maximising the on-site electricity generation with an expanded solar array on the new roof, local battery storage, and EV charging points planned for the car park.

What have visitors made of the refurbishments so far?

Over the past few weeks, members of the Parish Council and other local government figures have been invited to peek around the bustling construction site as the reimagined community hall goes from blueprint to reality.

Cllr Chloe Turner, Councillor at Gloucestershire County Council, and Leader of Stroud District Council said:

"It's really fantastic to see this project come together. It's really clear to see the investment of time and energy by the community, and by the Parish Council, over a very long period of time to get to where we are now."

Kris Eley, Architect & Director at Mitchell Eley Gould said:

“From day one, the Parish Council challenged us as architects to develop a forward-thinking proposal that would truly transform the community centre. That vision is now becoming a reality, with excellent progress being made on site.

At the heart of the transformation is the creation of a vaulted main hall—a larger, more versatile space designed to meet the evolving and growing needs of the community.”

Cllr Katy Hofmann, Ward Member for Rodborough at Stroud District Council and Leader of the Labour Group said:

"It's great to see the building nearing completion, it's been a long, long time in the planning and discussion stage. I'm very impressed with how they've introduced some sustainable elements, such as heat pumps and maximising solar panels and solar energy. It's going to be a great benefit to the people of Rodborough."

The new hall is scheduled to open in September, and the council will announce the exact date soon. Bookings are now being taken for October on the Parish Council website.

Amplify Stroud is supported by Dialect rural writers collective. Dialect offers mentorship, self-study courses, and publishing.