An ageing village hall threatened with closure is set to be brought back into community use after additional funding was approved to finish its £500,000 refurbishment.

Long Valley Hall in Fawkham Road, Longfield has been undergoing much needed structural repairs throughout the pandemic.

Renovation of the approximately 60-year-old building unearthed some peculiar finds including an old car chassis among the foundations.

Building work comes after a 2019 surveyor's report concluded the hall’s declining condition could lead to its permanent closure in the next few years.

Longfield and New Barn parish council had considered replacing the community asset with a "like-for-like" replacement but the £1.5-2 million price tag was deemed too steep.

Instead, it elected to undergo at £500,000 refurbishment project, funded by its own savings and a £200,000 loan from the government's Public Work Board.

But it faced additional hurdles related to the financing of materials and supply chain issues, amid the ongoing impact of the pandemic.

A report read: "Without the financial assistance requested, the final elements of the refurbishment works required to the building will not be able to be completed and this long established and well-used local facility, which supports the local community, may not be able to re-open in 2021.

"Sports clubs and other community based groups play a vital role in the borough, by providing services at a local level, assisting with improving social cohesion and promoting local community activities."

Last night Dartford council, which owns the land the club sits on, approved a non-repayable grant of just under £75,000 to enable the completion of works.

Work on the community hall is now expected to edge closer to completion with a reopening date set for later this summer.

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