Disused and sold community hall cleared and sealed after fly tipping blight

The site of a former community hall which was put up for sale and subsequently sold has been cleared and sealed after it became blighted by fly-tippers and break-ins.

The Gordon Lacey Hall just off the A52 between Ockbrook and Borrowash was named after the Reverend Frank Gordon Lacey who died in October 2006. It was formerly part of All Saints Church in Ockbrook and had been open for the community to use for local events.

The site has previously been targeted by fly-tippers whilst in community use. In November 2021, the car park had to be sealed off to traffic but waste that had been dumped on site was found to have included a name and address leading to information being passed on to Police on that occasion.

However, more recently, the community hall and car park became surplus to requirements and was put up for auction twice, once after the initial arrangement reportedly fell through, before selling at the second time of asking in May 2024.

In late August of 2024, a planning application was made by the new owner to convert the site into an electric car charging site using a proposed lawful development certificate, listing Mr. Matthew Stimpson as the agent on behalf of Robin Heap.  In late October, it was reported that the application had been refused as planners required a full application rather than under permitted development.

Upon being sold the site was sealed with large log cuts acting as barriers but after contractors entered the site to carry out post sale work, the barriers were removed.  This led to the car park, hidden from the road behind high hedges, becoming increasingly used by fly tippers, and the main community hall building reported on line as having been accessed with the main door left wide open.

In December, the Reverend Tim Sumpter from All Saints Church responded to reports and complaints left on social media, stating that the site was being cleared and would subsequently be fenced off in a bid to stop repeated incidents and intrusion.  Metal fencing has been now erected around the perimeter of the site.

The planning application for site conversion is understood to be an ongoing matter with local planning officials.