A MAJOR upgrade of the Woolmer Hill Sports Pavilion could get under way this summer, with council chiefs poised to sign off the final £300,000 needed for the project next week.

Waverley Borough Council’s executive committee is expected to approve the cash boost from its capital funding pot on Tuesday, adding to the £200,000 Community Infrastructure Levy funding allocated to the project in April.

The cash windfall will allow the Woolmer Hill Sports Association (WHSA), which leases the pavilion from Waverley, to press ahead with its planned £500,000 improvements to the ageing pavilion – as granted planning consent in April 2020.

This includes a large, modern extension to accommodate Haslemere Air Cadets and other community users, a balcony, as well as energy efficiency work, in particular, replacing the old and extremely inefficient heating system with a new highly efficient air-source heat pump.

It is hoped this will drastically reduce Waverley’s £27,000 per year maintenance bill. And now funding has been secured, the WHSA hopes to gain charity status and secure a new long-term lease on the pavilion, covering the building’s costs through grants, sponsorship and hire fees. Waverley has also earmarked £155,000 for a new 3G pitch at Woolmer Hill.

Ged Hall, president of Haslemere Rugby Club, said: “It is fantastic news for Haslemere that funding is to be allocated, and a big thanks goes to everybody involved in getting it over the line.”

It is also hoped the Air Cadets relocation will pave the way for its existing base at the Wey Hill Youth Campus to be replaced with affordable housing, as set out in Part Two of Waverley’s Local Plan.

The mayor of Waverley, and Haslemere councillor, John Robini said: “Prior to our present administration at Waverley the sports area at Woolmer Hill were promised a sum of about £500,000 for improvement to the sports facilities such as a 3G pitch, and the pavilion.

“We have now identified where this money can be properly funded, as this will not only improve the sports facilities and bring the pavilion up to a standard for community use, but will allow a more modern area for the cadets to move into from Wey Hill, allowing housing to be built on the Wey Hill site.”