RESIDENTS of Whitchurch are being invited to have their say on the future of Centre North East.

The building will be the subject of a public consultation on Wednesday, February 19 at Whitchurch Civic Centre and all concerned parties are invited to attend.

Because of the condition of the building, it is currently not in use, with the roof in such a state of disrepair that all groups who used to occupy the building have been forced to moved out, hopefully, the council say, on a temporary basis.

It has been agreed in principle to work with Shropshire Council to take on the building through the Community Asset Transfer process, which is close to being concluded.

The council also say the consultation is also a "fantastic opportunity" to get local businesses involved by offering, for example, free professional help and sponsorship.

A spokesman for Whitchurch Town Council said: "Many Whitchurch residents will know Centre North East as Whitchurch 'youthy', the place where you spent time with your friends and enjoyed a wide range of activities and the place where you were given space to be a young person, to grow up.

"Until recently this was still the case. The building was a safe place in town for young people to meet, where local youth workers provided activities and useful information.

"This building is an important and valued space in town as it has provided a local space to meet safely and we want to try and secure and retain Centre North East as an important asset for our community, for this and future generations.

"If you can help with the building, have ideas on activities or groups who could use the space, or are just interested in the future of this community asset, then come along on Wednesday, February 19 – we'd love to hear from you."

For those unable or unwilling to attend the meeting, forms will be available at the Civic Centre where thoughts and ideas can be written anonymously.