HIGHWEEK Scout Hut in Newton Abbot has reopened with modern facilities thanks to a £175,000 grant from developer contributions.

It is now welcoming the community after an official opening event on Sunday, April 26.

This milestone marks the culmination of a project to provide a modern, flexible, and accessible base for Highweek Scouts, while also creating a welcoming venue for local groups and residents.

The funding was secured from the ‘NA2 Whitehill’ development, reflecting Teignbridge District Council’s ‘commitment to enhancing community facilities for both new and existing residents’.

The project was strongly supported by local ward members, Highweek Scouts and Newton Abbot Community Interest Company (CIC) officers.

A 2023 residents’ survey revealed overwhelming support for a community centre, with 93 per cent of respondents in favour.

The project is also a demonstration of partnership working between Highweek Community, Teignbridge District Council members and officers, and Devon Building Control.

There has been scouting in Highweek for over 100 years, and the original Highweek Scout Hut on the site opened in 1974.

This latest investment helps ensure the hut continues to meet the needs of young people and the wider community for decades to come.

The newly improved Scout Hut features: an extended building footprint; larger, modern kitchen; accessible toilets and showers; separate meeting room; insulation and energy efficiency upgrades and a resurfaced car park.

As part of the Funding Agreement, the Scouts committed to complete hall refurbishment and improvement works within three years of commencement, an aim they exceeded by achieving Building Control sign-off within one year.

The agreement also includes a Community Hire Agreement to make the hall available for wider community use outside of Scout Group hours.

Andrew Thorpe, Group Lead Volunteer, 1st Highweek Village said: ‘We now have a building well fit for the next 50 years in the history of 1st Highweek.

‘We very much look forward to being able to hire it out not only to other community users but also having a very modern building available for our own use as a scout group’.