To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Chelmsford and the Neighbourhood  MLCC and Local History  We will try and bring you a slice of history from the local area and related to the Community Centre, so if anyone has any good stories, please contact us : send your story Moulsham Lodge was built and opened in 1972. Essex County Council (ECC) has  always owned the freehold of the building and the land. Moulsham Lodge Community  Association was granted a long lease of the 1.4 acre site at a nominal rent in 1972 by  ECC - the original user clause being to use the premises 'for the purposes of a  Community Association under Section 53 of the Education Act 1844.' There was also  an original prohibition on the sale of intoxicating liquor.  The estimated construction cost of £20,750 was funded by a grant of £10,000 from the  Department of Education and Science, with ECC (in addition to the land) contributing  £2,781 by way of direct grant, Chelmsford BC contributing £2,500, with the remaining  25% made up from public contribution overseen by the Community Association.   Thus, ECC has always owned the land and building but the Community Association  had a subsidiary leasehold interest to operate in the building.  The records on our files are limited between 1972 and 1993. It is clear however that the  original lease was renewed and during the period the premises were extended to add a  licensed bar and the actual use appears to have moved towards a licensed club rather  than its original purpose (as presumably over the intervening years the Trustees  changed).  Waltham Glen Community Association held the property under a long term lease that  expired on the 25th December 1999. On expiry of the lease the tenant held over and  Essex County Council served a Section 25 Notice terminating the existing tenancy and  offering a new lease with effect from June 2001. Terms for a new lease were tentatively agreed but by August 2005 a new lease had still not been completed when the tenant  abandoned the property.  In April 2006, the then Cabinet Member for Finance & Performance declared the  property surplus to County Council requirements and in light of local support to retain  the community centre determined that the property be offered to local community  groups having first been offered to Chelmsford Borough Council for continued  community use.  In September 2006, Chelmsford Borough Council offered £250,000 for the property on  behalf of the Royal British Legion but we were advised by our property Agents that  this offer was not acceptable. The property was then offered to three local community  groups. None of the offers were adjudged satisfactory.  In June 2007 Cabinet Member authority was granted to put the property on the open  market and as a result of an extensive marketing campaign the County Council  received 8 offers resulting in acceptance of a bid in the sum of £710,000. The sale  subsequently fell through and the property was re-offered to the unsuccessful bidders.  This exercise resulted in one bid for the property being received in the sum of  £697,000, proposing to use the site for a medical facility to provide private elective  surgery with no overnight stay (a Class 01 use). The bidder provided a written  commitment to talk to potential community users about providing a community facility  on site (a Class 02 use) but this would be at the community use provider's own cost.  Due to deteriorating market conditions, the offer was subsequently reduced to  £500,000 and due to CBC's interpretation of the existing user of the building having  been primarily 02 (providing a community facility) resulted in their offer being made  conditional on ECC securing consent for both 01 and 02 use.  MLCC History  MLADS Moulsham Lodge Amateur Dramatic Society now called The Phoenix Theatre Company used to perform at the community centre until June 2005. Moulsham Lodge Camera Club Formed back in 1981 by four local enthusiasts, the Camera Club held its first meetings ‘behind the stage’ at the local Community Centre. MLCC Contribution Books and Life Membership Cards   with acknowledgement to Mrs Tobias click here to see the letters that were sent to the council via the planning portal ,go to the Associated Documents/Plans section Contribution Book Click photo to make larger Life Membership Card . To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Chelmsford and the Neighbourhood