PLANS have now been submitted to completely revamp the St Denys Community Centre in Priory Road Southampton.

The project will cost in the region of £680,000 and is expected to take about ten months to complete.

But when it reopens early next year the heavily vandalised and graffiti covered centre is expected to breathe new life into the area.

New offices, changing rooms, a kitchen and rooms for hire will be built in the complex.

The hard surface court will by upgraded and turned into a multi-use games area suitable for five-a-side football, basketball and netball.

Mike Gausden, vice chairman of the St Denys Community Association, said: "We first applied for funding ten years ago and were beaten down.

"But we never stopped because the area needs this improvement. This is a community project which is community based and for the benefit of the community."

The hall will close in March when work is due to get under way.

Over the past few years St Denys Community Centre has been an easy target for vandals because of its location at the end of Priory Road next to the railway lines. Mr Gausden said when the work is completed there will be additional lighting and closed-circuit TV around the building.

"We are also going to be open during the week because a day care centre will operate from here so we will have a presence in the building most of the time which will hopefully keep the vandals away," he said.