A last-ditch attempt to overturn a decision to withdraw government funding for a new community pavilion has failed.

It had been hoped Social Investment Business, who make the decision regarding the distribution of the government’s Youth Investment Fund, would overturn its original decision to withdraw money needed for the overhaul of the Pavilion Community Sports and Social Club in Swanscombe.

But last Thursday (February 22) Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council heard its appeal to the government’s exceptional grant committee had been unsuccessful and the funds would no longer be granted for the £4.3million project.

A spokesman for the town council said: “This is obviously not the news that both ourselves and residents wanted to hear.”

But he promised the council would meet soon to discuss other financial ways forward for the planned scheme.

He added: “The town council remains committed to delivering a building on this site that will serve the needs of the community of Swanscombe and Greenhithe for many years to come.”

An attempt to secure funding from Dartford council also failed after Swansombe councillor Emma Ben Moussa (Lab) asked for some of the local authority’s reserve funds to be set aside at the budget earlier this week.

Leader of the Council Jeremy Kite announced he could not provide the funding as “it was not properly costed”.

He told KentOnline: “You cannot possibly fund something without data and stats. I couldn’t just give over £4.3million like that.”

But Cllr Kite agreed to work with the town council to come up with “a viable plan”.

He added: “We would like to work together to deliver this project and find some way of bringing this money in.”

Contracts had previously been sought and a modular build agreed for the demolition and rebuilding of The Pavilion Community Sports and Social Club in The Grove, Swanscombe and the work was due to be completed by December this year.

But the project, which has been ongoing for the past three years, was dealt a bitter blow earlier this year when, before any work had been done, the government’s promised Youth Investment Funding for the project was withdrawn.

The grant committee for the government-funded scheme recommended it not go ahead due to concerns over the ability to deliver the project on time and to budget.

Opened in 1969, The Pav, as it was referred to, closed its doors last May after plans were approved to demolish the building and create a new facility.

Used by football and cricket teams, children’s parties, senior lunches and fitness clubs it was seen as the hub of the community.