AN AMBITIOUS project to turn a vacated police station into a new youth centre has been given the go-ahead.

Wotton finally has something to celebrate after a spate of bad news in the last few months with its police station closing and youth centre building put on the market by the county council.

The town council has worked to get a good outcome from all the cutbacks by applying to turn the old police station into a new youth centre for the town’s young people.

This week Gloucestershire County Council gave the green light to Wotton’s business case and the committee members working on the project are now keeping their fingers crossed that they will receive the funding needed to make it happen.

"It is certainly very good news," said Cllr June Cordwell, Wotton town councillor who is leading the project.

"It is a very big project, but it will go ahead no matter what. We are just hoping we will get the money we have bid for."

Towns where the county council is selling the youth centre building can apply for up to half the market value of the property from the authority and Wotton is hoping to receive in the region of £50,000 to £70,000.

This will pay for the building, at The Chipping, to be completely refurbished inside to create one large space split into two areas with sofas, pool table and computers and a small office for a youth worker.

It will also need a disabled toilet, new windows, sound proofing and repairs to the garage ceiling.

"It is an awful lot of work, but it will be fantastic," added Cllr Cordwell.

Wotton was one of three projects given the green light to move forward with their plans this week.

County councillor Will Windsor-Clive, who took the decision, said: "The bids coming through have been extremely positive with some exciting and innovative plans on the table.

"A great deal of hard work has gone into these plans from everyone involved, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with these groups as they look to turn their plans into reality, in many cases enhancing the services already available."

Meanwhile Wotton is still working with Cam, Dursley and Berkeley councils under the name South of Stroud Youth Partnership to bid for funding to pay for youth workers to cover the patch. They can also singularly apply for grants of £1,000 each from Stroud District Council to provide youth activities.