HOPES to redevelop a community centre planned to be a 'focal point' for a huge estate in Weston have been dashed. Councillors have now promised residents in Locking Castle that they are urgently looking into other ways of funding a new facility after a lo

HOPES to redevelop a community centre planned to be a 'focal point' for a huge estate in Weston have been dashed.Councillors have now promised residents in Locking Castle that they are urgently looking into other ways of funding a new facility after a lottery bid to pay for a new Maltlands Community Centre was turned down.The current centre is an important meeting place for clubs, societies and community groups but the building is nowhere near suitable. It has a leaking roof and flimsy windows and community association leaders say they are surprised it made it through the winter.This is the second time National Lottery bosses have turned down a bid and people living on Locking Castle say it is just another sign of how the huge estate lacks a centre to cultivate community spirit.North Somerset councillors Derek and Muriel Kraft, who represent the area, are pressuring the authority to come up with other ways of funding the community centre and creating more facilities for residents.Centre manager Sarah Pearce said: "The current centre was donated to us about 12 years ago but is desperately in need of redevelopment."We have everything sorted in terms of planning permission but the lottery has told us that it's a good project but there just isn't enough money in the pot."Currently we have no office at the centre, the water often has to be drained off the flat roof and the windows are so flimsy they are always covered in condensation. It's a wonder it made it through the winter. Within the estate we have got very little. There's a few shops and a Tesco Express but nothing else. It's too far for a lot of people to walk.