A town council is having to scale back plans for a new community hall after its scheme was hit by a "massive post-pandemic increase" in building costs.

The proposals were to see a new hall and sports pavilion built in New Romney to replace the existing outdated Maude Pavilion at the recreation ground off Station Road.

Plans for the new two-storey facility, along with refurbishment of the existing Seashells Nursery building and the construction of 34 new homes, were approved by Folkestone and Hythe District Council back in May 2020.

But council chairman Cllr Paul Thomas says a pre-pandemic estimated bill for the project of around £4 million has now soared by 25% to around £5 million, making the scheme impossible for the authority to fund without borrowing or drawing on reserves.

"We're still committed to deliver a community hall, sports pavilion and nursery provision," he said.

"As you have carried in your own paper very recently, with regard to both Princes Parade and to the skate park in Folkestone, the cost of building these things has gone up horrendously and that's the situation that we have faced.

"We are still going to deliver a community hall, sports pavilion and an enhanced nursery provision.

"From the sound of it they're starting again, it's mind-boggling..."

"We're still going to do that. We've got a very healthy budget to do that. It's just the building that we were originally going to build is not the one that we're going to build going forward."

The decision to go back to the drawing board was taken at a full council meeting in February, and it was agreed that residents will be sent a leaflet explaining the situation and the future plans.

It was proposed that the sports building would include changing rooms, a medical room, storage, a function room, meeting rooms, a bar and kitchen and a large balcony with views over improved football and cricket playing fields.

However some elements of the ambitious design by award-winning architect Guy Hollaway, who is also behind Folkestone's Rocksalt restaurant and the new urban skate park, F51, will now have to be lost as a result of the reduced budget.

Cllr Thomas indicated that even a cost of £4 million would be impossible for the council to meet after some grants were lost.

Former town councillor Patricia Rolfe, who resigned from the council in December after more than 18 years, says she fears for the fate of the project which she was heavily involved with as head of the steering group.

She said: "From the sound of it they're starting again, it's mind-boggling.

"Everyone knows prices going up but basically they could lose the opportunity. They've got very, very small window where they can potentially resurrect it and deliver the community hall which was the main essence of the whole project."