Residents on an estate undergoing a £5.5 million facelift are celebrating the opening of a community centre.

Regeneration partners RENEW North Staffordshire and Great Places Housing have created the £100,000 centre by converting two semi-detached houses in The Square, in Meir.

Work on the complex project to merge the two homes began earlier this year and the finished building was handed over to the community yesterday.

The two-storey centre, which houses meeting rooms and catering facilities, was officially opened by Stoke-on-Trent South MP Rob Flello and former Stoke City legend Denis Smith.

Residents marked the occasion with a colourful street party in the centre of The Square.

RENEW project manager, Phil Brundrett, said the aim was to create a venue which could be used by the regeneration partners and the community to improve the estate.

He said: “We wanted a permanent building in The Square so that it is at the heart of the community.

“We have already had a lot of interest from organisations and community groups wanting to use the centre.

“We will also have a permanent member of staff based here to take over the running of the centre to ensure we leave behind a lasting legacy.”

Mr Flello said he was very impressed by the work that had gone into the community centre.

He said: “I think it is fantastic and the kind of centre that Meir has deserved for a long time.

“This area has always had a very strong community, but it hasn’t really had a focal point until now.

“This provides a central focus and I know it will be used to the full.”

Former Stoke City centre-half Denis Smith said he was delighted to see the changes taking place in his former home town.

He said: “It feels better around here already and things look tremendously promising now.

“I’m glad they are keeping the houses and refurbishing them because they are good, sound properties and they should be regenerated.

“If we bring the quality of the area up then people will keep it that way, but the community has really got to get behind this and make it work.”

Meir Community Steering Group chairman, Maggie Carter, praised RENEW, Great Places and Stoke-on-Trent City Council for asking the residents what they wanted.

She said: “I don’t think people realise how hard it has been to get this project completed.

“But the steering group pushed very hard to deliver what the residents said they wanted. We all worked together to come up with this, and it is brilliant.

“I think it just goes to show what can be achieved if people really put their minds to something.”