Lawley and Overdale Parish Council are committed to providing a modern and fully accessible community building for the residents of Lawley, Overdale, Newdale, The Rock, Old Park and Dawley Bank.
Brief video showing artists view of walkthrough
Councillor Mark Boylan, Chair of Lawley and Overdale Parish Council, said:
“The existing community centre, located in what was the Assembly Hall at the former Lawley Board School in Arleston Lane, is well used by a whole host of local groups including the nursery, choir and the youth club, but the increasing demand means more space and facilities are needed.
“Our new community centre will be built off Bryce Way, alongside Lawley Village Academy and, being modern and purpose-built, will be more accessible to a wider range of people. We want to ensure it addresses local needs and find out more about the facilities local residents and community groups would like to see there.
Following this consultation, all feedback received will be taken into account and a planning application will be submitted. We hope, subject to planning approval, that work will then start on site in early 2026”
New Community Centre
We want to hear your views on the proposed design and layout of a new, purpose-built community centre to be constructed on Bryce Way.
Background
The population of the Parish has almost trebled over the past 20-years, from 5,000 to nearly 15,000 residents, and consequently the community has greatly outgrown the existing centre on Arleston Lane. This old Victorian building has served residents well, but the Parish Council wishes to ensure that a new centre can meet the needs of our rapidly growing community.
Lawley and Overdale Parish Council has been gifted a plot of land by Telford & Wrekin Council, and it aims to proceed with its bold plans for a spacious and modern community centre for the Parish. The facility is intended to meet the evolving requirements of all residents and will include high-quality facilities, and multi-purpose rooms for a wide array of community events and activities.
Your view matters
As the Parish Council prepares the draft plans, we are eager to hear from you, the residents of Lawley and Overdale Parish, regarding your thoughts on the new centre. Your feedback will help clarify the plans and the final design, which will be submitted as part of a planning application later this year. Your input is important to help ensure the final design truly meets the Parish’s growing needs.
Aims
A new community centre will create a central hub and meeting point for both residents and local groups and will also be available for private and public hire. The project’s aim is to serve all parishioners; so we would like to hear from people of all ages, whether you have used the old centre recently or not.
Whilst the plans are ambitious, we are committed to creating a sustainable space and a brighter future for Lawley and Overdale Parish.
Please take the time to complete this short questionnaire, which should only take 5 minutes.
Please also discuss the questions with other members of your household; you can either answer as a household or as an individual, which will help ensure all views are represented.
The anonymity of respondents will be respected and all submissions treated confidentially.
Why do we need a new Community Centre?
The Parish’s population is growing rapidly; from 5,591 in 2001 to 12,173 in 2021 and the figure is likely to be close to 15,000 residents by the end of this decade. The existing community centre was never intended to provide for such a large population.
As a former Victorian school, the facilities are limited to one main hall available for hire. It is already fully booked during the week, from 8.00am to 10.30pm, leaving no availability for any new users, especially community groups and residents.
Furthermore, maintenance and energy costs mean that the current centre is running at both a loss and cost to parishioners, whilst the current car parking facilities are limited.
The proposed new community centre will be a purpose-built facility to meet the growing needs of residents.
Planning consent for the Lawley Village development was to be supported by suitable community facilities. Unfortunately, this has not happened, however Lawley & Overdale Parish Council are committed to meeting the essential local needs by building a new community centre.
Where is the new Community Centre going to be built?
The proposed site is adjacent to Lawley Village Primary Academy on Bryce Way in Lawley.
Why that location?
There are limited suitable sites available for such a facility.
The proposed land is owned by Telford and Wrekin Council who have offered to provide this plot to the Parish Council, subject to a 125-year lease, to enable this modern and fully accessible community facility to be built.
The development is still subject to planning permission and the forthcoming consultation with residents.
What about Overdale, Newdale, The Rock, Old Park and Dawley Bank, is this facility just for residents of Lawley?
The new facility is being developed by the Parish Council to help encourage and enhance social interaction and cohesion, foster a greater sense of belonging and lead to a stronger, more resilient community for all residents. The potential for additional activities and events is very much aimed to benefit all parishioners; from every area of the Parish, across every demographic.
As well as on-site parking, the new facility is next a bus stop along Bryce Way which will allow easy access to other parts of the Parish and vice-versa.
What will be the impact of the Lawley Village Academy football pitches?
There will be no impact to the pitches, and these will remain managed by the Academy.
How much will the new Centre cost?
The design consultants currently estimate that the project will cost up to £3.8m. Following the resident consultation, the Parish Council will refine the design to confirm the final cost.
What will be the format of the public consultation?
The resident consultation will include the distribution of a questionnaire, with paper copies being delivered to every home within the Parish and with additional copies being made available at the Parish Council office.
Residents will also be able to complete the questionnaire online via the Parish Council’s website, and by QR codes displayed in all six noticeboards.
The comprehensive questionnaire has been developed with the assistance of an independent consultant.
The proposed plans will be available to view at the Parish Council stand at our Summer Fest event on Saturday 5 July, from 1:00pm to 5:00pm on Lawley Village Green and at several drop-in sessions taking place in July and August, details of which are below.
| Event | Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Fest | Saturday 5th July | 1:00pm to 5:00pm | Lawley Village Green (along Glendale) |
| Drop-in session | Tuesday 29th July | 5:30pm to 7:00pm | Lawley Community Centre on Arleston Lane |
| Drop-in session | Tuesday 12th August | 5:30pm to 7:00pm | Dawley Baptist Church, Dawley Bank |
| Drop-in-session | Saturday 30th August | 10:00am to 12:00pm | Carpenter Family Centre, Overdale |
In addition to this resident, can also view the plans at the Parish Council office, Leonard Smith House, West Centre Way, Lawley, TF3 5HT, during opening hours, Monday to Friday 9:30am to 4:00pm.
When is the consultation?
The resident consultation will start at Friday 4 July 2025 and residents will need to submit their responses by Friday 5 September 2025 to ensure their comments are included and taken into account.
Who can respond to the questionnaire?
Household responses will be welcome, but the Parish Council is also encouraging every resident to respond where possible. This may mean multiple responses from households, which will help to provide a broader demographic response.
What will happen with the current community centre?
The current centre is leased from Telford & Wrekin Council but maintained and managed by Lawley & Overdale Parish Council, and depending on residents’ responses, will determine if this lease continues or whether it is relinquished.
How will the new Community Centre be funded?
The new centre will be funded through a combination of sources.
The Parish Council office currently located in Lawley Square will move to the new community centre and the unit will be sold to contribute towards the overall construction budget, which was independently valued at £150,000 in February 2021.
In addition, Parish Council reserves investment will also be used towards the development build and external funding through grant aid, such as Lottery Funding, which is being sought to help with costs.
The primary contribution, however, will come from the public precept through the Council Tax.
Telford & Wrekin Council will provide Lawley & Overdale Parish Council a funding package through a 40-year loan payback scheme with an annual fixed rate of £263,113 per annum and the Parish Council will obtain the freehold of the land at the end of this period.
How much will this cost me as a ratepayer?
An additional Parish Council Tax precept increase of approximately 44 pence per week on a Band D property based on 2024-2025 will be required to help this project proceed.
To put this payment into context; the Parish Council precept for parishioners is only 5.06% of the Council Tax residents currently pay each year; with the great majority going to Telford & Wrekin Council, West Mercia Police and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, as illustrated in the chart below:
| Telford & Wrekin Council (including ASC Precept | £1,599.00 | 74.47% |
|---|---|---|
| Telford & Wrekin Council – Special Fund (footway lighting) | £28.55 | 1.33% |
| Parish Council | £108.55 | 5.06% |
| West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner | £291.50 | 13.58% |
| Shropshire & Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority | £119.45 | 5.56% |
| Total | £2,147.05 | 100% |
The annual Stewardship Charge paid by BVT residents to Bournville Village Trust is completely separate to the Council Tax and has no connection to any of the work undertaken by the Parish Council on behalf of all parishioners.
When will a new Community Centre be built and opened to the public?
If everything goes to plan, construction work will start in January 2026, and it is anticipated that the new community centre will open in October 2027.
How does the room size compare with the existing spaces?
The main hall in the new centre will be much larger than the room at the current centre, the former of which measuring approx. 18.7m x 11.3m. In addition, there will also be several different sized multi-purpose rooms available to hire and adequate storage space for regular user groups.
Will there be a cafe included in the design?
A community cafe is planned as an integral element of the new centre, serving drinks and snacks.
Will there be free parking available?
Yes, there will be parking spaces for 34 cars, including disabled bays and EC charge points for community centre users only.
Who has designed the new Community Centre?
The design and construction of the new centre is being overseen by Telford & Wrekin Council’s property development, design and project management consultancy, the BiT Group on behalf of the Parish Council.
How much will it cost to hire the facilities and will rooms be let out on a fair commercial basis?
Fair pricing will be an integral element of the planned centre’s business model, as the Parish Council aims to ensure that local people and groups can afford to use the new facility.
The pricing structure will be fair and in line with similar facilities across the Borough. These prices and costs are included in the Parish Council’s business plan and on its website as part of the resident consultation.
Will there be enough demand?
As the business plan demonstrates, the Parish Council is regularly contacted by local groups, individuals and other organisations enquiring about hire but often has to signpost them to other venues as they are unable to accommodate their needs.
There is no other similar facility within the Parish area and previous surveys have indicated there is a significant demand for such a new purpose-built centre.
Unfortunately, the current community centre only has one large room and cannot accommodate multiple users at any one time. Furthermore, car parking is extremely restricted, and the Parish Council has no responsibility for the outside area.
What will be the normal opening times for room availability?
No decision has been made on opening times, however, the Parish Council is currently considering rooms being available to hire during the week from 9.00am to 10.00pm and at variable times during weekends dependant on bookings or more specifically community needs, in line with the current community centre.
These final times will be formally clarified once normal operating demand has been identified.
Who will manage the new community centre?
The new facility will be managed by the Parish Council. Additional personnel will be employed to cover any additional administrative, community activities and events, and maintenance responsibilities.
The Council recognises that as its size and the number of residents increases, more personnel are required to continue to deliver services and initiatives alongside a new community centre.
Who will pay for any additional staff and building maintenance?
The 2025 Business Plan demonstrates that the budget for the new community centre should break even by its second operational year and that it will provide a healthy surplus income from the third year onwards.
All profits generated from the new centre will be ploughed back into running the facility and for other community services and projects throughout the whole of the Parish area and for the benefit of residents.