A NEW £1million community hub for Manorbier looks set to become a reality, with the help of a National Lottery grant.

Situated between the centre of the village and the Skrinkle estate, the building will include a welcome space for large and small meetings and get-togethers, as well as changing rooms for the adjacent playing fields.

The Lottery funding of £375,000 topped up the money raised by local fundraising and contributions from Welsh and European pots to allow work to start on the long-awaited project.

It is being driven forward by the South Ridgeway Community Association, and member Gareth John said: “The Lottery grant is what we needed to get the scheme underway.

“We already have planning permission, and we will now be going out for tenders at the end of July, with a view to building work starting at the end of September or beginning of October.

“The community has been enthusiastically involved throughout, and the hub will be something that will support and help the whole village and its residents, young and old.

“Because of its position, it will provide a natural link between the old village and Skrinkle.”

The National Lottery said that the building of the Manorbier Community Hub will ‘provide a meeting space for the community and expand on the existing services in the village by providing increased opportunities for social and community interaction, education and recreation.’

The building will also have a kitchen and accessible toilet facilities, as well as two small business start-up units that could be adapted to be used by the increasing number of people now working from home.

The work is expected to take between 12 and 15 months to complete.