RESIDENTS on the Forest estate, Melksham are a step closer to getting their £500,000 multi-purpose community centre.

People living close to the proposed site in fields off Awdry Avenue have been fighting for years to turn the community centre project from a pipedream into reality.

Melksham Town Council submitted plans for the single storey building to planners at West Wiltshire District Council last week.

But despite £40,000 already raised for the project through a housing deal with developers Newland Homes, campaigners still need to raise in excess of £400,000.

Town councillors on Monday unanimously backed the plans. The building will include sports changing rooms, dance hall and an area set-aside for religious purposes.

A Regional Development Agency grant was used to recruit Gloucester-based architect Quatro last year to obtain a detailed list of costs.

The Forest Community Hall working group is now preparing to draw up a business plan to secure the project's future and members have visited other community centres around the county for ideas.

This business plan will be pivotal if campaigners are to bid for lottery funding in the future. The Football Foundation is another organisation on the list of potential funders.

Cllr Vic Oakman said the task facing fundraisers was a huge one but any progress on the project was encouraging. He said a buy-a-brick could be launched at the working group's annual general meeting in October.

"The district council have sent me a list of places to go for funding. It was good to have the full backing of the town council, it is another hurdle cleared.

"We now have a break down of costing for the whole building, section by section. This will help us in the preparation of the business plan."

Avon Rubber owns the land and the company has already been approached by the town council about selling off the unused fields.

Clubs and sporting groups will be consulted about the idea and a feasibility study carried out before the end of the year.