PLANS to build a dedicated community hall in Williton could be dropped - if the space and facilities needed can be incorporated into a proposed new pavilion on the Memorial Ground.

Parish councillors, who are spearheading the development in their role as trustees of the ground, are considering merging the newly formed Williton Community Hall charity with the Memorial Ground charity.

But Cllr Bill Vaughan told a meeting of the full council on Monday that the move would only be considered if both charities' projects - the pavilion and community hall - could also be merged.

The results of a recent public consultation on plans to replace the existing changing rooms building on the Memorial Ground with a 26 by 13 metre pavilion behind the doctors' surgery car park have been described as "encouraging".

A total of 583 residents responded, with 83.5 per cent agreeing the existing changing rooms should be replaced.

Just 3.5 per cent of those who responded were against allowing disabled parking on the ground, with less than two per cent not in favour of a new footpath and hard standing area next to the war memorial.

The consultation also revealed that 48 different organisations and individuals would be interested in hiring or being based in the new pavilion.

Cllr Vaughan said that if the inside space of the proposed building could be reconfigured to meet the needs of the community hall, it was possible the two projects could be combined.

A landlocked site bought by community hall campaigners next to the children's play area on the Memorial Ground could then potentially become a multi-use games area.

Cllr Vaughan said the proposed pavilion would be large enough to accommodate badminton, short mat bowls, dance sessions and other activities, but it would not be able to host five-a-side football.

He said he believed Williton did not have a big enough catchment area to support a building of the size originally envisaged by community hall campaigners.

He said needs had changed and space for a meeting room was no longer required because the village now had the parish office.

A design brief for the pavilion is expected to be completed by the end of July and Cllr Vaughan said it was hoped to then move forward with a planning application.

The £12,000 cost of drawing up plans and seeking approval will be funded with a £6,000 contribution from the Memorial Ground charity, with £3,000 from the parish council.

The £3,000 shortfall could come from the community hall charity if the merger goes ahead.

The estimated £680,000 cost of the pavilion, which would include unisex and

disabled changing rooms, a kitchen, toilets and a public area to seat around 80 people, would be funded largely through grants - hopefully from organisations including the Football Foundation, Sport England, Big Lottery and EDF Energy's Community Fund.

The project also incorporates hoped-for improvements to access to the ground, including a footpath running from the Robert Street entrance, in front of the pavilion and along the north side of the ground to the Long Street path.

The work is likely to be completed in phases, while around a quarter of the existing changing rooms building would be retained for storage.