A VILLAGE hall will be torn down to make way for a new version.

Saltoun Community Association (SCA) is keen to see Fletcher Hall, on East Saltoun’s Main Street, demolished in preparation for a new hall on the same site.

The hall has been at the heart of village life for generations, with the local primary school holding its Christmas carol services, sports days and shows at the hall, which is used by community groups for parties, classes and fundraising events.

East Lothian Council gave permission for the existing hall, which dates back a century, to be demolished last week, while a second set of plans for the new hall were given the green light on Tuesday.

Sarah Bronsdon, from the SCA, said: “It is brilliant news. We have been trying to sort out the village hall, either repairing the one we have or getting a new one, for quite a long time.

“We have got an awful lot of money to raise but this is a real step in the right direction. We are crying out for new facilities in the village.”

It is not yet known when work on the project could get under way, with the demolition and creation of a new hall expected to take about six months.

Mrs Bronsdon said that the whole project could cost in the region of £500,000, although there is no exact cost as of yet.

According to the plans, the hall has “a significant amount” of asbestos, while the building also has no insulation in the walls, roof or floor.

A new, more efficient heating system will be installed in the new hall.

Mrs Bronsdon said that the new hall, which will also be used by pupils at Saltoun Primary School, would make a real difference.

She told the Courier: “It will give us much more usable space and extend the times people are happy to use the space. It is absolutely Baltic in the winter and we don’t have a heating system that heats appropriately.”

The new hall will be slightly larger than the existing facility and will see a range of upgrades, with access to the building improved, as well as the kitchen and heating.

The design and access statement included with the planning applications states: “In recent years, the external and internal fabric of the building has deteriorated significantly and now badly needs to be repaired.

“The condition of the building is worsened by the extensive use of asbestos in the construction and repairs are now more complex and expensive because of the obvious health and safety issues to be considered.

“The proposed building will revive the village centre, which will be based around the various uses of learning, leisure, health and wellbeing for the community, which includes the school. The enhanced component parts of the building will provide improved accommodation for all the users and also open up new opportunities.

“The project is exciting and will re-energise the community, which in recent years has seen the village shop temporarily closed, the church closed for repairs and deterioration of the hall, which is showing its age.”

The hall is named after the Fletcher family, who owned land at East and West Saltoun in the mid-17th century.

The building was gifted to the community a century ago and is managed by the association, a registered charity.

One person objected to the demolition of the century-old hall, urging that it should be restored rather than destroyed and should be treated as a listed building. However, planning officers said it had no special architectural or historic interest.