IT WILL bring the community back together.

That was the verdict of Rose Hill residents viewing final designs for the estate’s new community centre as it was revealed that construction could begin in April.

Plans have been on display in the past week at the existing community centre in The Oval and at Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre in Ashurst Way.

Oxford City Council launched the tendering process to find a builder for the £3m project at the executive board on Wednesday, with a closing date for replies early in March.

It hopes to have the construction contract in place by the end of March, with the chosen contractor on site by mid-April.

Rose Hill great-grannie Linda Herman runs a spiritual church and healing group in the existing community centre and hopes to use space in the new centre in Ashurst Way.

She said: “It is fantastic. It will bring more people in.

“I have been here 65 years. When I was younger lots of families came here. That has gone over the years and we need to bring that back.”

Her husband Vincent Herman, a self-employed builder, added: “It will bring life into the community.”

Rose Hill mum-of-two Agnieszka Ward, 35, said: “In terms of space it will be close to the playground and it be easier for people to come.

“Facilities are needed for children, who are the future.”

The new centre will bring together the social club, advice centre and youth club.

It will also provide a doctor’s surgery, community gym, a training kitchen and a new office for the police.

The existing sports pavilion will be demolished and new Sport England and Football Association facilities will be provided.

This week’s exhibition included plans tweaked since the last display in August.

Changes include swapping the youth room and gym, another staircase, another bar, more storage space and a bigger Norman Brown Hall with a partition wall to divide it into two if needed.

Ed Turner, deputy leader of Oxford City Council, said: “I am pleased we have been able to show the final plans to the community and show them we have listened to feedback.

“This is going to be a very exciting building and will give our community a boost.”

The new centre should be finished in spring 2015.