CIVIC chiefs have revealed more details about the next phase of consultation over one of the biggest schemes in Romsey's history.

The future of the Crosfield Hall has touched a nerve with people around the town, as one of the options is for it to be demolished and a new hall built at Romsey Rapids. 

The new consultation comes five years after Romsey Future held a Citizens' Assembly, which asked town residents what they wanted from the South of Romsey Town Centre Masterplan.

Romsey Future is holding a series of in April and May with local interested parties, groups and residents, including with the existing users of the Crosfield Hall.

This will be followed by the new Citizen's Assembly in late June and early July.

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A petition urging civic chiefs to keep the hall has been signed by more than 1,000 people. 

A Romsey Future statement said: “Groups taking part in the workshops will be asked about the facilities they currently use and their future aspirations. The outcomes of the various workshops will be fed into a Citizens’ Assembly, which will be held in late June and early July.  The Citizens’ Assembly will hear from representatives of all the groups taking part in the community engagement exercise, to understand their views and the outcomes of their discussions.

“The Citizen’s Assembly members will be given the time and opportunity to learn about and discuss the need for community facility provision in Romsey and the wider area. Through this process, they will hear balanced evidence on the issues before discussing what they have heard with one another and deciding what they think. The Citizens Assembly will, based on the evidence received, make recommendations for the specification of any new facilities and their location, including those to be provided as part of the bus station redevelopment.”

The statement added that no final decision had been made on the relocation of the hall. 

“This element of the plan can only happen when a decision is made on how best to meet the future needs for community facilities for the town and wider area. The community engagement process and citizens assembly will help provide the evidence for this decision to be made,” it said. 

Community groups wanting to participate in the consultation should email romseyfuture@testvalley.gov.uk.