A £32.3m community centre in Tunbridge Wells, dedicated to the life of one its historical figures, has opened after nearly 20 years in the pipeline.

The Amelia Scott centre in Civic Way is an integrated facility which houses a range of arts, heritage, culture and well-being services.

The centre commemorates the life and work of pioneer Amelia Scott, a 19/20th century suffragette and social worker from the town.

The state-of-the-art facility suffered tumultuous financial setbacks on its course to opening.

The complex was envisaged nearly 20 years ago, with the idea to create an area which combined the town's museum, art gallery, library and Kent Adult Education into one building. Formal planning permission was granted in 2019.

However, spiralling costs threatened to thwart the goal - in 2020 the project was given a £20.6 million budget, with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council forking out £11.2m to back the centre.

However, just weeks before it was due to open, the centre was forced to ask for another £468,000 as other fundraising efforts fell short, and the cost of construction and raw equipment continued to sky-rocket.

This sharp rise in funds was in stark contrast to the original cost of £16.1m, which council officers estimated in 2019.

This was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and a rise in inflation which has left individuals and businesses strapped for cash.

However, councillors approved the additional funding for the centre at a cabinet meeting on April 14, confident it could deliver a return on their investment.

At the meeting cabinet chairman, Tom Dawlings (Cons) said: “I think we all understand the difficulties we’ve encountered during the construction phase, mainly Covid and the inflation pressures.

“I think the outcome will be fantastic and the opening programme that is emerging is really exciting.”

Council officer, Paul Taylor, compared it to Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate, saying: “For every pound spent on that project, it returned around £4 of investment.

“Whilst we have spent significant amounts of money to build the Amelia Scott, to protect the heritage, I think it will be paid back many times over.

The opening marked a special time for members of the community who are set to enjoy the centre for years to come.

William Benson, chief executive of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said: "It's going to be an amazing place for people to come find out about the town, learn something new, pick up a book, ask a question - it's all under one roof.

"I think for residents, for businesses, for visitors, it's going to be absolutely first class and the motto is about enriching lives and inspiring learning.

The centre, dubbed "one place that delivers many services", endeavours to remember its historical origins.

Helen Boys, an 80-year-old relative of Ms Scott said: "Amelia Scott was my grandfather's first cousin. She was born in about 1860. and she died in 1952.

"I was very lucky to meet her when I was about nine years old."

She described her emotions at the centre's grand opening, saying: "It's quite overwhelming, I didn't know this wonderful 90-year-old woman had done so much in her life.

"Her life was full of activity from about 1895 when she had an epiphany and became a social worker."

Mr Benson added: "Amelia Scott was an absolutely incredible former resident of Tunbridge Wells, she was a pioneer of her time and instrumental in delivering the first library in the town.

"She was a suffragist, she was a very, very early and rare female borough councillor."