AMBITIOUS plans to build a new £750,000 community hall in Hadleigh town centre have stalled pending the outcome of the £60million masterplan.

The Endway Community Association wants to build a new community hall on Endway car park, off Castle Lane.

Outline planning permission was granted for the hall in January 2012 and plans have since been drawn up.

But Castle Point Council will not hand over the lease to the community group until the future of the Hadleigh masterplan is decided after Essex County Council said it could not support changing the traffic flow through the town, a key part of the plans.

Neil Hamper, chairman of the association, said: “The whole thing has had to be put on hold until the council makes up its mind on the masterplan, and, unfortunately, opportunities like this could start going out the window if they take too long.”

Members have been working hard to secure funding from various charitable foundations.

But it is feared the promise of funding could be lost if the project is drawn out too long.

Mr Hamper added: “A tremendous amount of work has gone into this with people coming to meetings and distributing leaflets, which just shows the level of interest we have.

“We have been in touch with a lot of funding agencies and they keep telling us to approach them when we have a lease because they cannot commit to any money until then.”

A spokeswoman for Essex County Council said: “The council is aware of the interest from the Endway Community Association in acquiring the land and constructing a hall.

“Planning advice has been sought and given. However, no formal approach has been made to the council as owner of the land for lease, but in any event such an approach is unlikely to be considered until the masterplan has been resolved.”