A POPULAR village hall could close within the year if it fails to find £100,000 to clear its debts.

The committee at The Jubilee Hall, in West Rainton, is struggling to manage the centre’s huge debts, amassed during a major refurbishment of the community centre in 2011.

West Rainton and Leamside Community Association became insolvent in 2014 and trustees are finding it increasingly difficult to meet running and maintenance costs for the Victorian building.

The hall’s treasurer Allan Percival said: “In 2011 a lot of things were wrong that hadn’t been identified by consultants and despite the trustee’s cutting out a lot of work, they found themselves £100,000 in debt.

“For the last few years we have been trying to reduce that debt and we are really struggling.”

A potential lifeline for the centre, which was built in 1897 as a drill hall, has emerged by way of a planning application to build nine houses in nearby Cocken Road, in Leamside.

Jubilee Hall trustee William Oliver, of Broom House, has applied for permission to build the houses on Durham’s green belt.

And if the scheme goes ahead, he has offered to pay the community association £100,000 to help clear its debts.

The homes would be split across two sites, with four detached houses next to Broom House and a terrace of five affordable homes built close to the A1.

Five objections were sent to Durham County Council, including ones from people living close to Broom House and The City of Durham Trust.

Meanwhile, 63 people have written in support.

The council’s planners have recommended the proposal be rejected because of road safety concerns and they say Cocken Road is too far from local services or public transport and is part of the Durham green belt.

Debra Douglas, of Jellicoe Terrace, said: “I am not without sympathy for the future of the welfare hall. However, I would like to think the council will make its decision based on the merits of the proposal which has been refused previously.

“It’s not about money, it’s about saving the countryside. It’s about looking out of the window to see the deer in the early morning and not looking on newly built housing to give someone personal gain.”

Jubilee Hall became the parochial church hall after the Second World War and became a community centre in 1977.

Jeff Morland, who is chairman of the West Rainton and Leamside Community Association, said: “Critically, if the application fails the community association will not receive the £100,000 gift, the result being at least ten years of continuing struggle to repay the historic debts whilst at the same time needing to maintain the fabric of the Jubilee Hall as a vital hub on the community.

“In reality it is no exaggeration to state that without an injection on unrestricted finance, the Jubilee Hall will not survive another year.”

Councillors on the central and east planning committee will decide on the plans at a meeting at County Hall, Durham, at 1pm on Tuesday, May 10.