Construction has begun on a youth centre for Watford residents organised by a Muslim charitable trust.

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill and Watford MP Richard Harrington attended a recent groundbreaking ceremony at the Tolpits Lane site of the Watford Muslim Youth Centre Trust.  

Watford Borough Council’s cabinet is meeting on Monday to discuss the possibility of loaning the trust £150,000, repayable over five years following the completion of the build.

It is hoped construction of the £2 million will be completed by 2018.

The two-storey building will be used as a youth centre and community hall. The ground floor will have a café and banqueting hall, while the first floor will contain a crèche and multi-purpose classrooms for education and public hire.

The aim of the Watford Muslim Centre Trust is to enrich society by offering much needed facilities to all community members in the surrounding areas.

The trust says in its planning application: “We believe that by nurturing our young, serving our elders and implementing community projects, we can bring about positive change in Watford and the surrounding areas.

“We are concerned about the wellbeing of the community and hence will be rolling out programmes to promote health consciousness and active lifestyles.”

A 125-year lease on the land was signed with Watford Borough Council in 2013.