A SIGNIFICANT first step has been taken in bringing a £7million art centre project in Ringwood to fruition.

Builders were on site at the town’s Greyfriars Community Centre on February 15 and the first hole in a listed wall was made marking the beginning of the development.

Also present were Hampshire County Council leader Roy Perry, Ringwood Town and New Forest District councillor Steve Rippon-Swaine, members of the steering group behind the project, and supporters from Ringwood and District Community Association.

Hampshire County Council, along with the NFDC, has been helping facilitate the project with car park and land swap deals, and support and advise in planning matters.

The work marks the “meaningful start” to the £7 million Ringwood Arts Centre project and means planning permission for the centre – approved by New Forest planners back in February 2104 – will be fixed for the foreseeable future.

The Meaningful Start Appeal has so far raised close to £20,000 to fund the building work and ensure that planning permission did not lapse.

The arts centre steering group chairman, Mike Osborne, said: “We’re delighted to finally see a physical start to the project – a start that means we now have some breathing space to raise the money for this landmark project for the town

“It has taken eight years of hard work by our steering group volunteers and around £123,000 to gain permission and meet the many planning, environmental and highways conditions necessary to commence a large project like this, but at last we can say everything is in place,” he said.

“All we need to find now is the money for the rest of the project.”

Building work, landscaping and fitting costs for the centre are £7million.

Director of fundraising Carly Redwood said: “There’s a lot of money to find, but irons are in the fire to secure funding from appropriate trusts and foundations, and we’re now gearing up with local fundraising and awareness events in the town.”

The proposed Ringwood Arts Centre has been designed by Ringwood architects Williams Lester and will include a 290-seat cinema and theatre, retractable seating to provide a flat floor for functions, exhibitions and conferences, as well as sports and art studio facilities.

For more information go to ringwoodartscentre.