STEPS to build a new community centre for Halstead are advancing after a plan was submitted to the council.

The bid to bring a proposed community centre to Halstead has been in the pipeline for years.

The project aims to build the facility in Butler Road and replace the now-demolished Senior Citizens’ Centre in New Street.

Having taken a 999-year lease on the land in 2016, plans to build on the site hit the buffers due to problems with site contamination.

Now, a fresh update into the future of Halstead’s community centre has been provided by the town council.

A spokesman said: “Halstead Town Council has agreed a joint business plan with the Community Centre Charitable Trust for the planned community centre, originally to be built on land donated in Butler Road.

“This has been submitted to the Halstead Community Fund at Braintree Council.

“The two parties are also currently investigating a land swap between Butler Road car park and the donated land. “

Braintree Council has also given an update into the state of play with the centre.

A spokesman for Braintree Council said: "The process for applications to the Halstead Community Fund is still open to submission and when this has been closed all submissions will be considered."

Halstead mayor Jackie Pell said: “We have put the business plan in and we are hoping that will overcome the problem of the contamination.

“There is a long way to go, but we have agreed to pursue this further.

“A consultation will have to go out at some point as people’s expectations have changed since we first submitted it ten years ago.

“But the first step has been taken and we can now take it from there.

“I am very pleased we have come to consensus of opinion and working together to provide this for the town.

“It is safe to say I can’t retire until it is there.”