Beloved South London youth centre could be saved after fifth of village's population backed petition
Bromley Council will continue working with Biggin Hill residents to facilitate the sale of a community centre it marked for disposal earlier this year
A beloved community centre on the very edge of London is one step closer to being saved after a fifth of the local village's population backed a call to stop its disposal.
Bromley Council has agreed to continue working with Biggin Hill residents to facilitate the sale of the Spitfire Youth Centre to the community. The council identified the centre as a potential asset to dispose of back in January. In response, many in Biggin Hill rallied together to try and keep the centre in operation and not lose the land and property to potential developers.
The Spitfire Community Group presented a near 2,500-strong petition to Bromley Council in May calling for the centre to remain open. Just over 2,000 of these signatures came from those living in Biggin Hill, representing 20 per cent of the town’s population.
Bromley responded to the Spitfire Community Group that same month, letting them know that the centre would close, its services would be moved to the Biggin Hill Children and Family Centre and the vacant property would be placed on the open market.
The group was meant to address the council on the back of its petition in July, but deferred this pending further discussions with the council's property department. Chris Hennis spoke on behalf of the Spitfire Community Group at a full meeting of Bromley Council on October 13.
He was supported by a number of Biggin Hill residents who filled half of the council chamber's public gallery. They all donned yellow rosettes in support of saving the centre.
Mr Hennis said if the council were to sell the Spitfire Youth Centre to the community, it would bring money into Bromley, secure a "much-loved" community asset and "give residents the power to shape the way forward".
He asked the council to work with the group and give it time to raise the sufficient capital needed to purchase the centre. Mr Hennis said: "I think it would be a win-win for the community and council if we can save this building, take it off your hands and turn it into an effective social enterprise."
Cllr Yvonne Bear, Bromley's Executive Member for Renewal, Recreation & Housing, responded: "It's been quite obvious from the strength of the petition just how dear the Spitfire Centre is held by the community of Biggin Hill."
Cllr Bear said she was "more than happy" to continue conversations with the Spitfire Community Group about the potential sale and she gave her commitment to continue helping the group for as long as it was needed.
She added: "It is truly commendable the way you as a community have come together to come forward with some really practical solutions for how to get to a point where you have something that you value yourselves as a community and are able to maintain going forward."
Cllr Melanie Stevens, Leader of the Biggin Hill Independents Group, welcomed the news that the council would continue to help the Spitfire Community Group. Cllr Bear's motion to have the council continue to engage with the Biggin Hill community on a potential purchase was unanimously supported by council members and met with applause from supporters in the public gallery.
Following the meeting, Mr Hennis said: "We are delighted to have had the opportunity to advocate for our amazing community and their support for our efforts to retain the centre. Our vision is to provide a range of services for all ages 'from cradle to grave' and to ensure the centre fully realises its potential as a valued community resource.
"We look forward to working with the council and are pleased that they have agreed to enter into ongoing dialogue with us as we progress our plans."
To find out more about the campaign to save the centre, or to get involved, visit Biggin Hill Residents Association.
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