Dunmow Youth Centre could be saved from being sold off, after Essex County Council proposed transferring the site into the hands of the town council.

The building in North Street was temporarily closed to the public in January due to subsidence, which began in 2019.

As the problem deteoriated, Dunmow Youth Club campaigned to save the building, which has been used as a youth centre since 1959.

Youth club team leader Jeremy Free raised concerns that Essex County Council hoped the subsidence would continue to get worse, so they could sell the building to developers.

However earlier in July county councillor Susan Barker, who represents the Great Dunmow division, informed Great Dunmow Town Council that Essex County Council is keen to have discussions regarding a 'community asset transfer' of the youth club premises.

She explained: "This would mean ownership and responsibility would sit with the town council; securing the future of the building for the residents of Dunmow."

Jeremy Free said that he and the rest of the youth club are "delighted" with this proposal. "Having Dunmow Town Council own the Dunmow Youth Centre building would secure the future of the building for the use of residents, and this is exactly what the town has been campaigning for.

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"However, we just hope that Essex County Council ask for a reasonable and sensible price so that the town council can buy the building.

"After all, the town council are not developers, they are acting on behalf of the town, the community and most importantly the young people and their future.

"They do not have endless funds like developers interested in the building, but they do have the passion and the determination to do their best by the young people of our town.

"We just hope Essex County Council will do the same."

According to the youth club, the building is otherwise in a good state of repair, with new windows, a new heating system and the drains recently relined.

As well as being used by the youth club, the building is a base for numerous other groups, including the charity Accuro and young carers.