Plan to turn former Belford club into family home

Robert Grebby, located at Berwick Workspace, has submitted the scheme to Northumberland County Council to convert the village venue, which has been vacant for more than a year.

In the change of use application, he stated: ‘Following application to the Belford Community Village Hall Trustees, we expressed interest in purchasing the property to reinstate its appearance and conversion to a family home.’

Mr Grebby added that once change of use and planning permission is obtained, the property will be purchased and the aim is to have the project completed within 18 months.

He wrote that research regarding the hall’s original history and appearance has started and if any unusual or artefact features are discovered during refurbishment, attempts will be made to incorporate them into the plans, or to notify the authorities to arrange retention or disposal.

The Gazette also understands that a plan is in place to protect the war memorial, which is located to the front of the property.

The Gazette has been told that the purchaser has asked that at the time of transfer, the two metre strip of land between the pavement and the hall, which at the moment is in the ownership of the hall trustees, be transferred to the owner of the war memorial, rather than be included in the sale – to protect the memorial for future generations.

The former Community Club has been closed since November 2016, after unsuccessful attempts to save it.