MOUNTING costs have forced plans for a long awaited community centre in St Neots to go back to the drawing board. The Eatons Community Centre was granted planning permission by Huntingdonshire District Council in December but a shortage of funds has mean

MOUNTING costs have forced plans for a long awaited community centre in St Neots to go back to the drawing board.

The Eatons Community Centre was granted planning permission by Huntingdonshire District Council in December but a shortage of funds has meant St Neots town councillors have had to put the project on hold while a new plan is drawn up within budget.

At a meeting of St Neots Town Council last Wednesday councillors set a new budget of £1.1million, which is more than £400,000 below the original cost of the project.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Derek Giles said: "It's a well known fact building costs go up eight per cent a year, it's way above inflation. We have got to get this started, for goodness sake. I think the people of the Eatons deserve this. Every day we delay it costs us more and more."

Mayor of St Neots Cllr Paul Ursell agreed, adding: "We need to push forward with this, everyone in St Neots deserves it. The design will be looked at to cut the cost of the project."

The council agreed to find a quantity surveyor and architect to revise plans for the community centre, which is intended to include a large hall, meeting rooms, a kitchen and a bar and be built near to the Rainbow superstore on Great North Road in Eaton Socon.