PLANS for a new community hub in Dalgety Bay are set to progress after a funding boost of £30,000 was secured from Fife Council.

The Dalgety Community Trust was awarded the money from the council's South and West Fife area committee and now plan to appoint an architect who, it is hoped, will help bring their concept to life before carrying out fresh consultation with local residents.

Its vice-chairperson, Brian Johnstone, was delighted to see plans progressing for the £4.8 million facility.

"We are over the moon with the way we have been received by the South West Fife area committee and the money they have granted to us will make a huge difference," he said.

"We are currently tendering with architects to see who is the right person to bring it forward and that will lead to us going into the engagement process hopefully in the summer.

"We should then be able to bring models and take it to a wider engagement."

A new 1,000 square metre centre is planned which will replace the existing Fife Council community centre which, the trust hopes, will deliver a building comprising ‘four hubs in one’.

This would include a ‘social hub’ – including a community cafe – to connect people and allow them to use the spaces for enjoyment; an ‘interest hub’, which would bring people together around specific, shared issues or interests; a ‘services hub’, where people can connect with, and access, a range of local services; and an ‘enterprise hub’, where people can access working, meeting or trading spaces.

"In each of these, we come back to the theme of one door, many spaces," explained Brian. "When you come in through the door, there's rooms with different sizes specifically for these hubs so there is not going to be a standard hub or community centre.

"The one we have got now was built 50 years ago. It is one room with a kitchen. It was built when there were only 2,500 people in the town and it now has over 10,000. It has had its time and has served its purpose but it is not what people need now."

Brian said their aim was to help the town's ageing residents – and the younger ones too.

"One thing that is driving us in terms of the services side of things is we had a town with an ageing population – one in four in our community in Dalgety Bay are over 65," said Brian.

"With an ageing population brings social isolation and it is something we want to tackle. It has got to be for the next 50 years and it is a growing problem.

"We also have a situation where young people don't have anywhere to go. We really want to make a difference."