Community Centre Business Plan
Rhyl Community Association
Just Solutions were engaged by Rhyl Community Association to create a business case and plan for the future, for an upgraded and enhanced community facility at Fforddlas, an existing community centre in the heart of a 'Communities First' area in South West Rhyl.
Project Goals
Developing mutually complementary services with a nearby primary school and childcare centre
Project Goals
Rhyl Community Association (RCA) is a registered charity whose primary goal is to promote the welfare of those living in the local community. Just Solutions were contracted by RCA to develop a plan for an upgrade of an existing community facility, Fforddlas, in South West Rhyl.
Located in an area experiencing high levels of socio-economic need and poverty, the aim of this project was to create a hub for learning, recreation and leisure that would improve the quality of life, health and well-being of the local community.
A key goal of this project was to ensure that any new development would complement and enhance existing facilities, rather than simply replicating the existing offer in the area.
Vision for the new, extended community centre - Parry Davies Architects
Overcoming Obstacles
The Community Association were facing a number of key challenges that needed overcoming through this project, including:
Increasing financial pressures
Deterioration of existing buildings on the site
Loss of much needed planned capital investment into Fforddlas
Tenant relocation leading to an annual rent loss of £18,000 + 50% of running costs
A changing environment - a number of other organisations and buildings in Rhyl were now offering community rooms, creating greater competition.
Just Solutions worked with RCA to develop inventive solutions to these issues. For example, by selling another of their assets, the Community Association were able to free up over a quarter of a million pounds for investment into the new community facility. This was a crucial step in tackling the financial challenges facing this project.
Ensuring a Joined Up Approach
We worked with Denbighshire County Council and other local community organisations to develop initiatives that would complement the existing local offer. This included proposals such as:
Developing mutually complementary services with a nearby primary school and childcare centre
Providing a venue for the Men's Shed, a local organisation running various groups such as creative and leisure activities for people with disabilities and youth clubs
Collaborating with a local football club on the use and maintenance of the community centre playing facilities
Over £500,000 Funding Secured
The business proposal and future plan created by Just Solutions informed 5 successful funding applications, totalling over £500,000 secured for the development of the upgraded community facility.
Despite significant challenges facing the new development, Just Solutions were able to create a business plan that could deliver on Rhyl Community Association's goals while complementing existing and planned projects within the community.
Vision for the new, extended community centre - Parry Davies Architects
“Opening up a whole new vision for the future”
Just Solutions were engaged by Rhyl Community Association when it was faced with a number of challenges including: increasing financial pressures, deteriorating condition of existing buildings, loss of much needed planned capital investment, tenant relocation leading to rent loss and a changing environment - a number of other organisations/buildings offering community rooms.
Just Solutions helped the Community Association see things completely differently - opening up a whole new vision for the future. The work included an initial review, informing innovative new solutions, including the sale of one asset to enable investment in another. Just Solutions wrote the business case and plan for the future development also informing 7 different applications for funding which have passed expression of interest stage - ongoing.