Rodborough Community Hall

Rodborough, Stroud

The deep retrofit of Rodborough Community Hall, Stroud marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for a much-loved local space. The project transformed a once-tired structure into a dynamic, revitalised community hub that is sustainable, comfortable, and built for the future.

Mitchell Eley Gould Architects started working with Rodborough Parish Council in 2022 after winning a competitive public tender for the retrofitted community hall. The existing hall did not make efficient use of space, was energy inefficient and had poor user comfort. From the start of the project Mitchell Eley Gould Architects facilitated design workshops with the local community to refine the brief and design for the hall retrofit. As the technical design developed we worked closely with the Parish Council on navigating tight budgets to achieve best value for money which also aligned with their ambitious climate objectives.

The new layout reorganises the internal spaces to provide an enlarged main function room and a new smaller meeting room. A new changing spaces facility was built in a freestanding extension next to the front entrance which both provides a public facility when the community hall is closed but also helps to form a new welcoming arrival point.

The retrofitted building includes extensive thermal upgrades, increased solar coverage, and the installation of both Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) and an Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP). Together, these features deliver exceptional energy efficiency and year-round comfort while dramatically reducing the community hall’s carbon footprint.

After years of planning and collaboration, the retrofitted hall showcases what can be achieved through community vision and environmental commitment. The revitalised Rodborough Community Hall now stands as a beacon of sustainability and community spirit — ready to serve residents for generations to come.

“We’ve taken a tired old sports pavilion and transformed it into a warm, accessible, and modern building with beautiful views and space for all.”

 Cllr Robin Layfield, Vice-Chair of the Environment & Amenities Committee

“May I say what a pleasure it was to return to the Community Hall on Tuesday, not only because we were back home, but because the new building is so impressive. Really wonderful, in fact, and many congratulations to you and all behind the project. The spacious new main hall will allow us to aim for a membership of 36 players, something not really possible before.”

Hall user