APHAx gets the go-ahead

Several weeks ago, the replies to the tender to build the new Annexe to the Public Hall were received.

Big Lottery Fund

Even the lowest tender we received was significantly higher than the original grant that the Big Lottery Fund had awarded us. However, after allowing for the inflation factor built into the original estimates, and following detailed consideration of the lowest tenders by our architect, Martin Greenwood of Bower Edleston, this gap was substantially reduced. This was achieved without any significant alteration to our original specification.

At this point we went back to the Big Lottery Fund for them to examine the selected tender response – they have now expressed themselves happy with it, and they have agreed to pay the extra amount required to bridge the gap.

Legal details

At the same time the legal negotiations have been going on to resolve the other two final matters to be settled before we can proceed. These have now reached a satisfactory conclusion.

• Transfer of ownership of the piece of land at the back of the Public Hall for the Annexe to built on.
• Licence from Cheshire East to have the contractor's compound around the site of the Annexe.

In these matters we have been greatly assisted by Hibberts of Nantwich and the Cheshire East legal department for sorting out the legal nitty-gritty..

Ready to go

So now we are ready to start, and we expect the first spade into the ground within the next four weeks or so,

Fund-raising

Meanwhile the fund-raising to complete the £100,000 that we need to contribute to the project is proceeding apace, coordinated by Ralph Warburton.

• Chilli night on October 22nd
• Dinner/dance on March 25th next year
• Sponsor a plaque – a wall in the new Annexe will be devoted to a display of names of supporters of the project – more details of this to come shortly.

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