A community hall in Henleaze is due to be demolished ready for building work to start on a £1-million replacement.

Local people, led by the Trinity-Henleaze United Reformed Church, have raised the money in the past three years, and are in the final negotiation stages with building contractors to get work started.

The Rev Tracey Lewis says they are planning to demolish the 1950s Waterford Hall on Waterford Road at the start of June.

But she said that temporary facilities in the other church buildings are being provided for the many groups that use the hall, including a popular toddlers' gym group, ballroom dancing and a flower arranging club.

The building of the new hall, which will be called Bradbury Hall, after a £250,000 donation from the international Bradbury Foundation, is expected to take about 40 weeks.

Mrs Lewis, 45, who has been at the church for more than five years, said: "Although the old hall has served us well, it is now quite cold and damp, and it is 50 years old. There is no insulation.

"It simply made more sense to pull it down than do all the work that was needed on it."

Bradbury Hall has been designed to be as eco-friendly as possible, with a large number of skylights to make the most of natural light and reduce the need for electric lighting, solar panels to generate electricity and rainwater collection systems to be used for flushing toilets.

There will also be better access for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

The money has been raised through the local group Henleaze@Heart, which is supported by the United Reformed Church, with grants and contributions from local fundraisers, as well as a sum of money from the sale of Trinity Church in 2002 when it was merged with Henleaze Church.

Mrs Lewis said: "People have worked very hard to raise a phenomenal sum of money. It is wonderful to see it getting to this stage and the work starting.

"I have had people say to me that they thought they would not see the new hall in their lifetime – but they will."

The replacement of Waterford Hall is the first phase of the two-part project.

The second phase, which will need another £500,000 to see through, will be the refurbishment of Church House on the corner of Henleaze Road.

The plans include replacing toilets, installing a better heating system and generally upgrading the building.

There will also be links built between Church House, the church itself and the new Bradbury Hall.

For further information or to make a donation, visit www.trinityhenleazeurc.org.uk.