A CONTEST to create a new £1.5m community hub for two small villages has attracted 86 bids from from architects around the world.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) competition to create a community centre and sports pavilion for Sessay and Hutton Sessay, near Thirsk, has seen entries from designers in Japan, Guatemala and Australia.

Over the Christmas period, people living in and around the villages will be able to vote on which of four shortlisted entries, from two London and two Edinburgh architects, they like best.

Those votes will be used by a panel of judges, led by designer Wayne Hemingway, as one of the factors in the final choice.

The four selected concepts represented those best able to be developed further to produce an innovative design proposal.

The winning proposal, to be announced in January, will replace the early 1970s village hall, which has become costly to maintain, with a building that is sympathetic to the village's heritage, which includes houses built by 19th century architect William Butterfield.

It will also provide a second cricket pitch for the village's cricket club, which won the National Village Knockout Tournament at Lords in 2010 and has a strong following with a large junior section.

The scheme follows the production of a Community Plan for the villages, which have a combined population of 400.

It is the first RIBA design competition to be funded by the Government's Homes and Community Agency.

Parish council chairman John MacPherson said the group charged with creating a shortlist of finalists had been staggered by both the quality and quantity of entries.

He said: "We want this scheme to deliver the highest standards in design, functionality and construction and provide a new community hub that takes into account the special features of the parish.

“This competition, and this new building, will put Sessay, and Hambleton district, on the international map.

"It is a very exciting opportunity for us, and one which we cannot wait to start building.”

Guy Musgrave, chair of Sessay Cricket Club and Village Hall Committee added: “I am confident that the whole community will benefit from the thinking that has gone into this process, and the novel solutions proposed.

“We are now looking forward to a modern facility at the heart of our community that we will value for the long term, and a range of new sporting opportunities”.