Eldene Community Centre and the land around it are to be given a £230,000 revamp.

A new community garden, school gates for Eldene Preschool and new lighting are planned as part of the three-month project which is due to start in November.

“It’s long overdue and it’s very welcome,” said Kevin Parry, chairman of Eldene, Nythe and Liden Parish Council.

“It’s great to see it happening and the current plan is for construction to start late this year. We’re keen to get on with it. It needs to be done and it should be out to tender shortly.

“We’ll be adding in a community garden at the side of the community centre, there’s currently just a patch of land there.”

Proposals are also being considered to revamp the beach area in front of the centre. Currently the plan is to grass it over but Coun Bazil Soloman has been asking residents if this is still what they want.

He said: “The plan was agreed way before my time with the parish.

“But now there’s a proposal for what the pebble beach will be used for. I’m getting tonnes of feedback from residents.

“Some are saying let’s leave it as the plan is where it’s a grass area but others say we should put some kind of sports centre for the children or even CCTV cameras to try and stop crime.

“I’m getting constant feedback and the main thing is to get it done, we don’t want to dither anymore, we need a nice area.”

One of the key improvements to the new centre are three new public bins that will be put in place around the building and the community garden, something that Coun Parry says a lot of people have been asking for.

In November last year the parish faced calls for the area to be cleaned up.

At the time, resident Tony Bonner said: “It’s just one hell of a mess. This area is getting worse. It is not just looked after like the other places. There’s a lot of weed just going up near Eldene centre.

“My fury is that no one’s doing anything about it and I’m just one man trying to get something done.”

The revamped site is expected to be reopened in February.