Multi-million pound plans to build a new community sports pavilion in a deprived ward have been thrown into doubt.

Contracts had been sought and a modular build agreed for the demolition and rebuilding of The Pavilion Community Sports and Social Club in The Grove, Swanscombe.

It was due to be completed by December this year but before any work has been done the government’s promised Youth Investment Funding for the project – which totals £4.3million – looks set to be axed.

Chairman of Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council Peter Harman said it’s been a huge blow to all those who have been working hard on the project.

“We had put in so much work over three years to get to this point,” he said. “To going from being ready to go to being told ‘sorry, the funding is no longer available’ was a big shock.

“It is frustrating and we are upset about it but we have not given up and we are determined to make it succeed.”

The grant committee for the government-funded scheme has recommended it not go ahead due to concerns over the ability to deliver the project on time and to budget.

An assessment panel is due to decide next month but is expected to agree with the committee – although officially no decision has yet been made.

Opened in 1969, The Pav, as it is referred to, closed its doors last May after plans were approved to demolish the building and create a new facility.

Used by football and cricket teams, children’s parties, senior lunches and fitness clubs it was seen as the hub of the community.

Owner Karen Melbourne-Dowse was forced to hand back the keys and said it would be greatly missed until the new facility was built.

Speaking at the time, she said: “The Pav has been the main hub for Swanscombe for many years and allowed families to get together in a safe place within walking distance of their homes.”

“If walls could talk the Pav holds many secrets. So many people are going be lost on a weekend without it.”

The town council says it has now lodged an appeal and is also hoping to secure some funding elsewhere from Dartford council.

Swansombe councillor Emma Ben Moussa (Lab) said she will be asking for some of the local authority’s reserve funds to be set aside at the next budget meeting.

She said: “I am going to ask Dartford council to invest in Swanscombe. It’s about time they did.

“I won’t take no for an answer.”

On the funding decision, Cllr Ben Moussa echoed the shock of her colleagues.

“We were just as shocked as everybody else,” she said. “We thought it was all going well.

“For them to turn around and say no it makes no sense.

“We were blown out of the water. There were no legitimate grounds to cancel the funding.”

The town council said it was told there were concerns the building would not be completed by the March 2025 spending deadline, despite the fact they had promised it would be finished by December this year.

Former mayor and fellow Swanscombe councillor Lorna Cross added: “We are devastated.

“The council has worked so hard to reach this point. We are not going to stop.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Harman has assured residents the site of the current derelict pavilion cannot be used to build houses.

“We have protected the land,” he said. “It cannot have flats or houses built on it.”

At a meeting of Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council, resident and structural engineer Rob Garcia offered to have a look around the derelict building and price up a refurbishment.

But while Cllr Harman was happy to take Mr Garcia up on his offer he said getting a grant for refurbishing the building is not an option.

“You have to go through so many hoops to get a grant you cannot just use it for something else, “ he added.

Mr Garcia, who coaches boy’s football side Swanscombe Tigers under nines, was looking forward to the new pavilion as his team currently has no clubhouse or changing facilities.

“Just to see the derelict building standing there with nothing happening is very heavy,” he said.

“It would be nice to get it refurbished and get the changing rooms and the bar opened.”

But the town council is reluctant to carry out the refurbishment without funding and feels it would not get investment for such a project.

Cllr Ben Moussa said it was not just the sporting side of the pavilion which was important to the community.

“It’s a place for the community to get together which is also missing at the moment,” she said.

We are committed to actively doing something on this site for the community as we intended

Attempting to allay resident’s fears about the future of the site, deputy town mayor Ann Duke said: “We are committed to actively doing something on this site for the community as we intended.

“It might not be the initial vision but it’s an important site for the community and we will do something with it.”

The new building was expected to be built by December and was planned to include changing facilities and showers available for those using the sports pitches, a cafe/bar, a public hall, function rooms and an enhanced viewing area for the sports fields.

There were also plans to include a sensory garden in the grounds.

The Youth Investment Fund is targeted in areas where youth needs are high and provision is low.

It forms part of the government's National Youth Guarantee announced in 2022, that by 2025 every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer.

All grants for the schemes are regularly assessed on their ability to deliver on completion by the due date and the budget available.

Swanscombe was one of 40 deprived wards nationwide due to benefit this year.