PLANS have been put forward to demolish an 'unsafe' village hall in the Lake District. 

The proposal to demolish Newlands Institute, near Keswick, was put forward to the Lake District National Park Planning Authority on April 25. 

The Newlands Valley Institute is deemed "unsafe" following a structural survey, with necessary repair costs estimated at £350,000 - £500,000. 

Electricity North West terminated the building's supply in December 2023 due to major safety concerns following storm damage and water ingress.

If plans get the go-ahead, there is hope the space will be repurposed for the community. 

In a supporting statement, Becx Carter, chair Newlands Valley Institute Committee, said: "The trustees of the charity have tried their best to keep the village institute going.

"They have organised fundraising drives, for example in 2019 they organised a fundraising event that raised over £600.

"However, this is a tiny proportion of the amount needed to repair the building.

"The trustees have looked at grants to repair the institute, but the charity is unable to satisfy the ‘need and demand’ criteria to qualify for most grant funding.

"The trustees have therefore been considering alternative uses of the land on which the village institute sits, in a way which would continue to benefit the local community, for example as a community green space," it reads. 

Newlands Valley, one of five communities in the Above Derwent civil parish, struggles with a limited population and a high percentage of second homes and holiday lets.

More than half the dwellings are estimated to be non-permanent residences, reducing the usage of public facilities compared to areas with a higher permanent resident population within buildings such as these.