COLYTON Chamber of Feoffees is offering a �75,000 donation to a proposed new youth centre.

COLYTON Chamber of Feoffees is offering a �75,000 donation to a proposed new youth centre.The chamber held a special meeting last week and also agreed to give the Reece Strawbridge Youth Centre an interest-free loan of �25,000, to be repaid over five years.The centre is expected to cost �510,000 and will accommodate the Caterpillar Pre-School, the Colyton Scout groups, two new changing rooms for youth sport and halls for community use, as well as a youth centre.Devon County Council (DCC) is investing �210,000 and the youth club trustees are investing a further �200,000 from the sale of the old building in Church Street.The funds by the Feoffees have been offered on the condition the trustees of the centre will provide a satisfactory business plan and confirmation of quoted grants from DCC.Chairman of the management committee for the Reece Strawbridge Centre Paul Arnott said: "With this capital grant from the Chamber of Feoffees we are now in a position to press ahead with the project."We hope for final planning permission from East Devon District Council in mid-March and, if that is agreed, we can then finalise work with structural engineers and building regulation officers in anticipation of a Spring start for the build."The investment from the Feoffees, which is just under 20 per cent of the anticipated cost, moves us towards the green light. "It is great news and we are especially grateful to our Trustees who are also Feoffees - Andrew Parr, Tony Underdown and Tony Hibberd - for their great advocacy for the cause.