Building a new village hall for Coverack has taken a step closer with plans being submitted to Cornwall Council.

The application has been made by Terry Thompson on behalf of the Lambeage Hall Committee.

The aim is to demolish the existing hall in School Hill and replace it with a larger one designed to be used by the whole community, with uses including meetings, sports events and entertainment.

In a statement accompanying the application, Richard Thomas, from RTP Surveyors, has written: “The existing hall is currently well used, particularly by the art and theatre groups along with various other community clubs.

“There is a clear demand for a hall within this area, and indeed opportunity for providing a better and more flexible facility to suit modern day usage and activity.”

Mr Thomas said the existing building was now “very dated” and at the end of its life, adding that maintenance levels had become “very high”.

It had developed in a “haphazard manner” and the quality of design and construction left “something to be desired.”

He said there were “significant opportunities” to improve the building’s appearance and also make better use of the site it was on.

One of the difficulties with the current building is the access, with visitors having to negotiate a “significant number” of steps down to the door.

By raising the entrance level of the new hall and moving it closer to the road, this would remove the need for steps altogether.

Part of the hall would be single-storey and other parts two-storey. The entrance would effectively be at first-floor level, with steps and a lift to carry people down to the ground floor level.

With limited parking available, and the hall’s position making it difficult to create extra spaces, it is proposed that the existing bays are made disabled parking.

Mr Thomas said of the building overall: “The resulting design is one which we feel fits into the countryside and enhances both the conservation area and area of outstanding natural beauty, while providing a relatively cheap construction cost.

“We do not feel this application should be contentious and has full village support.”

Neighbours have until January 29 to send their views on the scheme to Cornwall Council.