A VILLAGE hall is set for a major expansion after receiving almost £50,000 from West Oxfordshire District Council.

The hall in Leafield, near Charlbury, was given a Community Facilities Grant of £47,634 by the district council towards building an extension.

Growing demand for a range of sports and activities means the hall, opened in 1996, needs to grow to accommodate residents' needs.

The hall is currently used primarily as a sports hall and pre-school club, but activities planned for the new facility include tai chi, a lunch club and library and film shows.

A space for local groups to meet is also expected as part of the development.

Disabled access and toilets will be upgraded, while there will be more room for storage.

The extension will cost more than £190,000, with Leafield Parish Council pledging more than £26,000 and the hall committee raising £10,000.

Further funding applications are expected, with planning permission already granted for the development.

Councillor Jeanette Baker, Cabinet Member for Communities, Leisure and Tourism, said: “This is a case of making an already successful facility even more useful for the community.

“Leafield has demonstrated a real need for a hall that will meet demand for their growing range of activities and I am delighted their application for a grant has been successful.

"I look forward to seeing the results in the near future.”

Hall treasurer Andy Crick said: "The Council has been wonderfully supportive and officers have given us a lot of advice.”

A village hall is set for a major expansion after receiving a funding boost from West Oxfordshire District Council.

Leafield Village Hall only opened in 1996 but growing demand for a range of sports and activities has meant it needs to grow significantly to accommodate the needs of residents.

The extension will cost more than £190,000 and the Council has made a significant contribution with a Community Facilities Grant of £47,634 which has delighted the Hall’s committee.

Treasurer Andy Crick said: “At the moment it is mainly used as a sports hall and pre-school club and there is not really any space for small meetings or storage.

“We want to have a meeting room for people who work from home while local groups such as the Evergreens for older residents would also like more flexibility.

“The extra space would also give us a higher income which will help cover costs. The Council has been wonderfully supportive and officers have given us a lot of advice.”

Other activities planned for the new facility include tai chi, a lunch club, library and film shows while the toilets and disabled access will also be upgraded and improved.

The Hall committee itself has raised £10,000 towards the project with Leafield Parish Council also pledging more than £26,000. Further applications for funding are in the pipeline for the development which already has planning permission.

Cllr Jeanette Baker, Cabinet Member for Communities, Leisure and Tourism, said: “This is a case of making an already successful facility even more useful for the community.

“Leafield has demonstrated a real need for a hall that will meet demand for their growing range of activities and I am delighted their application for a grant has been successful. I look forward to seeing the results in the near future.”