FIFTEEN years of hard work come to fruition today with the opening of a £600,000 community centre.

Belmont Parish Hall will be opened this afternoon to replace the Old School Centre, which closed 20 years ago to make way for housing.

For the past 15 years, Belmont Parish Hall Association has been campaigning for a community centre for the village.

For much of that time, the fundraising campaign was led by Canon Dr Robert Innes, who left the parish nine months ago to take up a post as Canon of Holy Trinity Pro-Cathedral, in Brussels.

Cannon Innes will return today to join the mayor of Durham, Councillor John Lightley, in cutting the ribbon to declare the hall open.

The hall, built on former churchyard land next to the 150-year-old parish church, includes a large hall, two meeting rooms, a kitchen, toilets and office.

Sara Matthews has been appointed part-time manager of the centre, which will be a base for 20 local organisations, including a number which had previously disbanded because of lack of facilities.

St John Ambulance, Scout and Guide groups, as well as fitness classes, arts and crafts, tai chi, salsa dancing and a lunch club, which is expected to start after Easter, will all be based at the centre, which has disabled access.

Christopher Percival, grants secretary for the association, said: "This new centre is the result of a great effort by the whole community and 15 years of fundraising and hard work.

"We are extremely pleased with the centre and its architecture, which fits in well with the surrounding area. It is a fantastic achievement for us to see the centre officially opened."

Work started on the parish hall in January last year after support from a variety of sources, including the National Lottery, Durham City Council, Biffaward, Northern Rock and Durham Diocese.

The 1st Belmont Scouts and Guides raised £96,000 towards the total, while Durham City Council provided more than £60,000 through the Flourishing Communities Fund.

Councillor Anji Rae, the council's portfolio holder for community development, said: "This was one of the very first projects to receive a grant through the Flourishing Communities Fund, so it is really good to see the end result, with the centre and its many facilities up and running."

The Banks Community Fund provided £5,556 for furniture.

Mark Dowdall, divisional director of Banks, said: "We were delighted to support this community project with funding to enhance this impressive new facility."