The location of the site is highly sustainable with good access from a wide area in the region through the regions public transport system.

The proposal enlarges and enhances the existing community facilities already provided on the site. Alternative options have been considered including relocation to a purpose built new building, or to an adapted existing building on a new site, but both of these options would create greater disruption to the services currently provided.

Much of the existing building is preserved and reordered to better meet the needs of the community. This reuse avoids the need for demolition and whole scale redevelopment.

The proposed development uses environmentally friendly products and materials, and will improve the thermal performance of the building both by the thermal insulation provided by the first floor extension, and by the new heating installation which can be zoned to respond to the hours of use of the differing users. Insulation to new Building Regulation standards on its own would significantly improve the thermal performance of the existing building, but the fact that the new building will be above the existing building has the bonus of the added insulation provided by the occupied first floor accommodation.

Currently the three existing heating installations run continuously whenever any part of the building is occupied. In future the conference facilities and office facilities which generally are occupied for shorter hours than the community facilities, will be able to be controlled separately saving on heat and power.