Teignmouth’s Music Project can continue using the Eastcliff Centre until the end of September if they take up a new agreement with Teignbridge District Council, which owns the building.
The Council had wanted the Eastcliff Centre back this week (29th) so it could begin to implement the regeneration plan for Teignmouth town centre, which includes a new hotel and a NHS Health and Wellbeing centre.
After a meeting last week with Teignmouth Town Council, Teignbridge Community and Voluntary Services and The Music Project, Teignbridge District Council promised to look again at the timetabling of the work to see if it could help the Music Project while they looked for new premises.
Councillor Alan Connett, Executive Councillor for Corporate Resources at Teignbridge District Council, explained: “We looked at the contracts for the regeneration scheme and by changing the order in which work will be done we are able to let the Music Project use the Eastcliff Centre until the end of September 2020. After that, we will need the building back and the Music Project will have to find a temporary home.
“Teignmouth Town Council told last week’s meeting that it was working on a scheme to provide new facilities for several youth organisations, including the Music Project, at the foot of Bitton Park. I hope town councillors will back this scheme so progress can be made as quickly as possible.
“I know that like me, many people will be pleased that Teignbridge District Council has been able to offer this eight month extension”.
The current ‘tenancy at will’ legal agreement which has allowed the use of the Eastcliff Centre will end on Wednesday (29th) as planned. Teignbridge Council will then re-possess the building but it hopes that a new agreement can be signed on Friday to enable the Music Project to use the Eastcliff Centre until 30 September.
“Councillor Connett added that The Music Project had known for 12 months that it would need to leave the Eastcliff Centre and that over the past nine years or so it had benefited from rent free use of the building”.
The new agreement, if accepted, would also be rent free and Councillor Connett said he hoped this would help the Project to plan its future finances. Before moving back into the building and as part of the new agreement, the Community Interest Company will need to provide evidence that it has undertaken the basic safety assessments requested of it in the past.
Councillor Connett said: “The Teignmouth Town Council project will provide a modern building for the Music Project, and other organisations. The town council when we met them last week confirmed they are happy to put a scheme to the Town Councillors for approval and were waiting for confirmation from the Music Project that they wanted to be part of that exciting development.”
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