A ONCE-in-a-lifetime chance for Lapford to think about its centre, how to go forward now that the village owns a space in the middle, opposite the pub and next to its village hall and car park.

This is where HOLD, the Heart of Lapford Development group comes in. The group has raised more than £390,000 to buy the site mostly from the sale of the old youth club building (£222,500) and £100,000 from Lapford Parish Council, plus two loans.

The people of Lapford are now being asked for their dreams for the village.

Toward this two open afternoons were held at the Victory Hall when visitors could look around the site and its buildings, talk to HOLD members and find out about ideas so far.

Fundraising ideas are sought, some are already being planned and include a bluebell walk, a dinner and auction and an abseil off the church tower.

Chairman of HOLD is David Bragg who said a planning application would be going in to Mid Devon District Council to remove the old buildings and grass over the plot so that it becomes an amenity area for the village and where a marquee could go for an occasional event.

"The whole site now belongs to the village," said David. "The village now has a chance to think about the centre in a way it never had before.

"At the moment the Post Office is a mobile service that uses the car park next door, we have the Ark where the shop used to be. This was bought by Yeo Valley Christian Fellowship who turned it into a cafe.

"The Victory Hall is there and the Old Malt Scoop Inn. The Victory Hall is 100-years-old and now it could be expanded. No-one wants to destroy this heritage but it needs to be made more useable for the future.

"We intend to have community consultation once the site is grassed, ideas will be shared with the community.

"What the pub and the Ark have created is a beginning and we could have a centre that is more widely appreciated. A community space with somewhere for the youth club and more," said David.

One of the comments was that it was a chance to create something the community could be proud of while Lapford could become somewhere even more attractive to live.

About 60 people went along on both afternoons with patches of snow still hanging around and frozen puddles on the site.