Community group is set to inherit pavilion
Fauldhouse and Breich Valley Community Development Trust (FBVCDT) is set to become the owner of the former Eastfield Training Centre in Fauldhouse following a successful community asset transfer request.
A recent meeting of West Lothian Council’s asset transfer committee heard details of a request from the FBVCDT in respect of the former Eastfield Training Centre.
The former Eastfield Training Centre, on Eastfield Road, Fauldhouse, is owned by the council and comprises a singlestorey pavilion with a reception area, meeting room, a small kitchen, two changing rooms with showers and a multi-purpose gym hall.
The property was leased by the council to the Fauldhouse Sports and Recreation Association, a local community organisation who managed the facility until they ceased operating. The building subsequently lay vacant for a period of time before FBVCDT approached the council in 2016 to discuss its future use.
The parties agreed that the property would be leased to FBVCDT on a full repairing and insuring basis as a potential pre-cursor to the full transfer of ownership under asset transfer.
Since 2016, FBVCDT have occupied and managed the property, facilitating various local groups who promote health and wellbeing activities in the community. During that time, FBVCDT have invested in the physical condition of the building by upgrading the heating and lighting systems and redecorating throughout.
Having run the facility for a four-year period and satisfied themselves both that demand exists within the community for the facilities and that the project can be sustainable going forward, FBVCDT have sought to secure ownership of the property via asset transfer.
Having heard the proposal, committee members unanimously approved the community asset transfer request subject to conditions.
Councillor Dom McGuire, chair of the asset transfer committee, said:“It is pleasing to see the community asset transfer policy in practice and that the facility is set to be in the hands of a community run group.
“A wide range of support is available to any group who would consider community asset transfer a viable option and the council will continue to work with any parties interested in such opportunities across West Lothian.”