MEMBERS of a Woodstock youth club are celebrating after councillors agreed to award them a £50,000 grant so they can build a new purpose-built home.

The youth centre will now press ahead with its plans to construct a clubhouse on its existing site in Recreation Road. The facility will house its hundreds of weekly users as well as being used by other groups.

The community facilities grant funding was agreed by cabinet members at West Oxfordshire District Council and means the club is nearing the £208,000 it needs to start building work following a 10-year fundraising campaign.

Vice chairman and youth leader at Woodstock Youth Centre Jane Hibberd said the new base would allow the club to welcome more young people from the community.

She said: “We are absolutely delighted with the funding – it has given us a great boost to move forward with this venture.

“It will bring in new people and help provide the community leaders of the future.”

The Nordic building, which has planning consent, will replace the existing clubhouse which is now more than 50 years old. It is hoped construction will take place next summer.

The new clubhouse will be environmentally friendly and energy efficient with disabled access built into the design.

Cllr Jeanette Baker, cabinet member for leisure and health at West Oxfordshire District Council, said she was looking forward to paying the new clubhouse a visit in the future.

She said: “Woodstock is a popular and vibrant youth club which plays an important role in the lives of many young people in and around the town.

“I am delighted that it has secured the funding and look forward to visiting the new clubhouse in the near future.”

The £50,000 is the maximum amount available under the community facilities grant, which provides financial support for community led capital projects for the improvement and/or enhancement of existing facilities and the purchase of new equipment.

Other projects to benefit from the grants which are awarded by West Oxfordshire District Council twice a year are the Langston Memorial Fountain in Churchill, which received £5,774 for repairs, and Brownes Hall in Carterton, which was granted £38,361 for refurbishment and a new roof.