A YORK scout group has announced it is to build a new home with facilities for archery, badminton and a climbing wall.

In the Scout movement's centenary year, Ebor Scouts will see its old building at Snowball Plantation, in Stockton-on-the-Forest, demolished and replaced.

Tony Hale, chairman of the Snowball management committee, said: "Our old storm hut has reached the end of its useful life and is no longer fit for its purpose.

"I am delighted that we are now able to demolish the old wooden hut and replace it with the new Centenary Building.

"Not only will this provide shelter for Scouts, Guides and other users when the weather is particularly bad, but it will also enable us to offer many new activities including a traversing wall and other climbing activities, indoor archery and badminton."

Craig Shaw, the district treasurer for Ebor Scouts, said there were more than 10,000 individual visits to the site last year and the new building would benefit all members of the Scout movement as well as youth clubs and university groups.

It will have a steel frame and contain toilet and shower facilities as well as having full disabled access.

While it will not specifically be used as a dormitory, Mr Shaw said scout groups will be able to sleep in it if the weather takes a sudden turn for the worse while they are camping outside.

The new building will cost £72,000, all of which has been paid for by donations from local trusts and grant applications.

It will be built by professionals but the site will be prepared and the building fitted out by volunteers from the Snowball Plantation's service team.

If all goes to plan, work will start at the beginning of April and will take around three months to complete.