Plans are afoot to bring an abandoned former Sure Start centre back into use four years after it shut. 

Norfolk County Council (NCC) says it is exploring how the former centre in London Road, Dereham, could once again be used to support children.

An NCC spokesman said: “We are working with local schools to explore how the building can be used to support children who might benefit from a smaller learning environment.

"We would fund this via our special education needs transformation programme, known as Local First Inclusion.”

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Dereham Times: The former Sure Start building on London Road in DerehamThe former Sure Start building on London Road in Dereham (Image: Aaron McMillan)NCCC closed 38 of its children's centres, including this one, in 2019, and since then the building and grounds have gone to rack and ruin. 

Its windows are covered in dust and grime and the back garden is overgrown. 

Before it was a Sure Start, it was the home of Dereham Central and Dereham South Children's Centres.

Dereham Times: Through the window at the former Sure Start building on London Road in DerehamThrough the window at the former Sure Start building on London Road in Dereham (Image: Aaron McMillan)Ray O’Callaghan, Breckland councillor for Dereham's Withburga ward, has backed the plans to reopen the site.

“The site is an eyesore and embarrassment to Dereham, with little or no maintenance carried out on this historic old school by NCC,” he said.

“Moreover though is a complete lack of support in the Dereham area for new parents. I’ve reached out to some first-time parents, and the mum of an 18-month-old told me, ‘The support in Dereham was nonexistent, the only place I could weigh my son was in the toilet in the library, and that wasn’t pleasant’."

Dereham Times: The former Sure Start building on London Road in DerehamThe former Sure Start building on London Road in Dereham (Image: Aaron McMillan) Mr O’Callaghan said he believed the nearest support centre was Watton, which was an "unacceptable and utterly deplorable" situation for Dereham, a town of 20,000 people.

He said: "NCC need to prioritise getting support to parents and reviving this much loved and missed building.”

Dereham Times: The former Sure Start building on London Road in DerehamThe former Sure Start building on London Road in Dereham (Image: Aaron McMillan)