The Village Halls Energy Project (VHEP) was awarded £500,000 from the CIL Climate Emergency Bonus Fund in June 2022. The project will identify and address areas of energy inefficiency and high carbon emissions in Village and Community Halls across Rother.

Village Halls provide extensive economic, social and cultural benefits to our communities, with Rother District Council’s ongoing commitment to protect them and provide new, extended or refurbished facilities reflected in our Core Strategy. The VHEP seeks to decarbonise these important community assets and reduce their costs through energy efficiency measures, contributing to Rother’s Environment Strategy and our District Net Zero ambition.

VHEP Phase 1 was completed in June 2023, whereby consultants LASER Energy provided bespoke Decarbonisation Plans to the 39 participating halls.

LASER Energy Contractor carrying out decarbonisation survey
Event at Battle Memorial Hall on 14th June

An event took place at Battle Memorial Hall on 14th June 2023 to mark the conclusion of the first phase, and to support halls with the next steps of delivering their recommendations.

VHEP Phase 2 will now commence, with grants awarded by the Council to implement some of the recommendations within the Decarbonisation Plans. Measures will be selected for grants based on a number of factors, including emissions reduction, installation cost and ongoing impact on energy & maintenance costs, with a weighting given to halls that are fully accessible and designated as Rest Centres.

Halls invited to participate in the project were charitable community facilities, including Village, Community & Memorial Halls and Community & Youth Centres, whose primary purpose is to provide a venue to anybody in their local community. Venues which have a specific primary function, such as Scout/Guide huts, Sports Clubs and Church Halls, were therefore not included, with an exception where there was no alternative venue serving the community that qualified.

The halls that have confirmed their participation in the project are:

  • Battle Memorial Hall
  • Beckley Village Hall
  • Bexhill Youth and Community Centre
  • Bodiam Parish Rooms
  • Brede Village Hall
  • Brightling Village Hall
  • Burwash Village Hall
  • Camber Memorial Hall
  • Catsfield Village Hall
  • Crowhurst Village Hall
  • Crowhurst Youth Club
  • Dallington Village Hall
  • Etchingham Community Halls
  • Ewhurst and Staplecross Village Hall
  • Fairlight Village Hall
  • Flimwell Village Hall
  • Guestling Village Hall
  • Hurst Green Village Hall
  • Icklesham Memorial Hall
  • Iden Village Hall
  • Mountfield Village Hall
  • Netherfield Village Hall
  • Northiam Village Hall
  • Peasmarsh Memorial Hall
  • Pebsham Community Centre
  • Playden WI Hall
  • Robertsbridge Community Hall
  • Rye Community Centre
  • Rye Harbour Village Hall
  • Sedlescombe Village Hall
  • St Mary’s Community Hall, Udimore
  • Stonegate Village Hall
  • The Pelham (Bexhill)
  • Three Oaks Village Hall
  • Ticehurst Village Hall
  • Tilling Green Community Centre
  • Westfield Parish Hall
  • Winchelsea Beach Community Hall
  • Winchelsea New Hall

If you have any queries regarding this project, please direct these to Climate.Emergency@rother.gov.uk.

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