Building work on Braintree District Council’s multi-million-pound community centre reached an important milestone this week.
Construction company SEH French, design consultancy Ingleton Wood and councillors celebrated the milestone with a traditional topping out ceremony which took place at the site off Haygreen Road, Witham, on Tuesday, 16 December.
The ceremony marked the completion of the building’s main structure, bringing the Council’s £4 million project one step closer to reality.
The new facility will feature a mixed-use hall, kitchen, bar area and changing rooms to support sports players using the adjacent football pitch. It will also provide a versatile space for residents to enjoy sports, attend meetings and take part in social clubs and community activities.
Cllr Kevin Bowers, Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Performance at Braintree District Council, said: “This new community centre will provide a modern, flexible space for residents to come together, whether for sport, social activities or community events. Together with our partners at Witham Town Council, we look forward to creating a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy. It’s a fantastic investment in the town’s future and we look forward to its completion.”
Stephen Brundell, Site Manager for SEH French, said: “It was great to welcome councillors from Braintree and Witham back on site to see just how far we have progressed on what will become an amazing community asset. The centre is really starting to take shape – and completing the topping out ceremony means we can now get to the exciting part as we look towards the finishing line. There’s still a way to go until then, but we’re all really proud of the work we’ve completed so far on what is a very rewarding project.”
Simon Chesworth, Associate Project Manager at Ingleton Wood, said: “Reaching the topping out milestone for Witham’s new community centre is a proud moment for everyone involved. Ingleton Wood has brought multidisciplinary expertise, spanning architecture, planning, building services, structural and civil engineering, and project management, to support Braintree District Council and Witham Town Council in delivering this much-needed facility. Working alongside SEH French, we’ve now completed the detailed design phases, and it’s exciting to see the building’s main structure in place. This centre will offer versatile spaces for sport, social activities, and community events, creating a welcoming hub for the people of Witham. We look forward to supporting the next stages as this fantastic development comes to life.”
On completion, Braintree District Council will transfer ownership and management of the building to Witham Town Council.
Witham Town Council Mayor, Councillor Paul Heath, said: “This topping out ceremony for the Witham community centre Is a wonderful way to celebrate a significant milestone. It has only been a brief time since we broke ground to where we are today though the project itself has taken a number of years and overcome many obstacles, but throughout the town council has always strived for a building that will become a true community asset. I would like to take a moment to thank the hard work and determination of everyone involved in getting us to this point, the two councils, the officers and especially the hard-working project team and tradespeople on the ground. This building will shortly become a community centre where many people will be able to come together to enjoy leisure activities and recreational time in an area which we can all be proud of.”
Building work is expected to finish towards the end of spring 2026.