Residents in a small community between Bath and Chippenham now have state-the-art facilities for everyone from bowls-playing pensioners to teenagers at the youth club.

The parish council this week unveiled a new £350,000 sports pavilion after a decade-long fund-raising effort.

And the building firm that turned the vision of Box Parish Council into an all-singing, all-dancing new two-storey facility said it stepped in because of its close links with the picturesque village.

Box is famous for its Brunel-built tunnel and as the home of Peter Gabriel's Real World recording studios, but now the village has another string to its bow – the new community pavilion.

The money was raised with a combination of grants and fund-raising efforts that took years – the last wooden building was beyond repair and the effort took 15 years to come to fruition.

Parish chairman Fred Sheppard said the firm chosen to create the building, Ashford Construction, excelled itself. "Ashford offered the complete package. From initial consultation with the parish to gaining planning permission and building regulations, right through to the practicalities of the build itself.

"The finished product far outweighs our wildest dreams.

"We are delighted to finally have the new pavilion in place after waiting 15 years to replace the old wooden building. The football club used it a couple of weeks ago and said it was brilliant.

"I headed the campaign for a new building and I was always determined that we would have a community centre for all of the village to use, bringing everyone closer together," added Mr Sheppard.

The project was also close to the heart of the Melksham-based firm. Managing director Rod Timbrell-White was born and grew up in Box, while project manager Stuart Morgan went to school at Box Highlands primary school.

He was following in his dad's footsteps – Stuart's father built the Leafy Lane football pavilion in nearby Rudloe some years ago.

Mr Morgan said: "We worked very closely with the councillors to produce a building that would encompass all the requirements of the village plus giving opportunities to expand the use to a wider audience. We are very proud of the final product."

The building itself has club rooms downstairs for sports teams including Box Rovers FC and Box Bowls Club – while the top section is for community use.

A small meeting room, large room, kitchen, changing rooms and toilets will be primarily used by the Green Room Youth Club, but other local groups, including Boxlea WI, may well take advantage of the new facilities.

Money for the ambitious project came from various sources, including £85,000 from North Wiltshire district council's community awards, and £20,000 from Wiltshire's youth opportunity fund.

The young people of Box put together the five-figure bid for help from the Wiltshire Young People's Opportunity Fund, and were successful in showing the need for that council charity to get involved.

Other smaller donations included £10,000 from the Garfield Weston Trust, £5,000 from Box Bowls Club and £8,000 from a series of fund- raising events.