Plans to demolish former Belford Community Club get the green light

Belford Community Club was built as “Scotch Church” in 1776, but ceased to function as a church in 1898 before being converted to use as a village hall.

It was rededicated as the Belford Memorial Hall in 1922, before being renamed as Belford Community Club in the 1980s.

However, it closed its doors to the public in 2016 and has since fallen into significant disrepair.

Members of the North Northumberland Local Area Committee were told that the interior of the building had all but rotted away, leaving just a shell.

Plans had been lodged to demolish the building and replace it with six homes.

Despite five objections from residents, the plans were reluctantly backed by the parish council. Speaking at Thursday’s planning meeting, the parish council’s vice chairman Kerry Noble explained: “We feel that the loss of the hall, though extremely sad for the community, was inevitable. It has become a total eyesore in the middle of a conservation area.”

County councillor Guy Renner Thompson, who represents the village as part of the Bamburgh ward, said the majority of locals were in favour of the move.

He said: “I wish we weren’t in the scenario. The memorial hall being demolished isn’t a good thing, but it is a reality of life that the hall has reached its conclusion.

“It is regrettable that the memorial hall is beyond repair and has to be knocked down. It has become an eyesore and this is the last use for it.”

The village hall had been sold off to developers by the trust that ran it after a condition report found it was “beyond repair”, according to Coun Renner Thompson.

He added: “It is just a shell. It would be nice to think if we refuse this there will be another plan, but if we refuse this then it will sit and deteriorate for another 10 years.

“I would urge the committee to approve this – the mood in the village is for it to go ahead and it has the support of the parish council.”

However, some councillors were unhappy with the idea of destroying a heritage asset.

Coun Georgina Hill said: “We have got this heritage building from 1776 – the year that America declared independence. It is a long time ago, it has been a positive contribution to Belford.

“I haven’t seen evidence that it is about to fall down. Because of the economy it is easier to knock it down rather than keep the exterior.

“I don’t see enough here to outweigh the harm done by demolishing a heritage asset.”

Despite Coun Hill’s concerns, the plans were voted through by six votes to two.