Plans to bring a former community facility in Stroud back into wider public use have taken a significant step forward, with proposals to transfer the Cadet Hut on Mason Road from Stroud District Council to Stroud Town Council.
The proposed move has been welcomed by Stroud’s Top of Town Community Hub (TOTCH), which hopes the building can become a permanent base for local activities and events. The organisation and its TOTTs stay-and-play group are expected to lose their current premises within the next year and have been looking for alternative accommodation.
A possible new home for local activities
The Cadet Hut was previously used for community activities. If the transfer goes ahead, the building could once again become a meeting place for residents in what the source describes as one of Stroud’s most underserved neighbourhoods.
Plans being developed by Stroud Town Council would allow community organisations and the Cadets to share the building. The proposals recognise the need to protect the Cadets’ offices, storage areas and specialist facilities, while creating scope for wider community use.
Justine Rawlings, chair of TOTCH, said the group was pleased that the project had advanced and thanked those involved. She said: “We are really excited that progress has been made and grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to reach this point.”
Rawlings said Gloucestershire County Council had hosted TOTCH and the TOTTs stay-and-play group, but had always made clear that they would need to find new premises. She added: “The return of the Cadet Hut to community use after many years is fantastic news. It will allow our community-run hub to bring back activities that local people have greatly missed.”
Potential activities mentioned by TOTCH include youth clubs, Christmas parties and wider community events. Rawlings said the organisation planned to share the news at its November annual general meeting and hoped to see the building “buzzing with life again”.
Accessibility and building work still need to be assessed
The project is not yet complete. An accessibility audit commissioned by Stroud Town Council has already identified improvements needed to make the building suitable for a wider range of users.
A condition report is also being sought. This will establish what work and investment may be required, alongside a longer-term plan covering repairs, improvements and maintenance.
Stroud Town Council says discussions with Stroud District Council are progressing positively, although significant work remains before the proposed transfer can be completed.
Cllr Natalie Rothwell-Warn, the district and county councillor for the area, said opportunities for community activities had reduced in recent years. She pointed to changes at the local primary school, which had become a school for children requiring specialist support, and said access to the Cadet Hut had become more difficult after the death of a resident who had previously organised community events.
She said: “At a time when life is a bit of a struggle, it would be great if the community in and around the top of town can once again have a place where they can meet, feel less isolated and more supported and have somewhere to go for community celebrations and activities.”
What happens next
The next stage is for Stroud District Council and Stroud Town Council to agree Heads of Terms. The councils must also finalise arrangements for the Cadets’ continued use of the building and complete the legal documentation needed for the transfer.
TOTCH says it hopes to continue working with the Town Council and the Cadets to bring the project to fruition. Rawlings described the approach as a way to protect the facility while supporting the Cadets and creating a lasting community hub.
She said: “This is exactly the kind of collaborative approach that communities need. By working together, we can protect an important local facility, support the Cadets, and create a community hub that will serve local people for many years to come.”
