Kiveton Park and Wales Village Hall, designed by Burnell Briercliffe Architects of Sheffield, incorporates under-floor heating powered by a ground source heat pump and solar panels which generate enough electricity to meet the hall's needs and sell some to the national grid.

Light tubes 'pipe' natural light to internal rooms and the hall also has a rainwater collection system to supply water for toilets and the gardens around the hall.

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Hillside's senior contracts manager Matt Brown said: "This village hall is here for the long term and as such will have to be self-sustaining. The technological systems we have built into the hall mean that it will not only save money on heating, light and water, it will generate income that can be used to provide more services for the community. We honestly believe there is no other village hall with such complete advanced environmental concepts anywhere else in the UK."

A combination of grants, sponsorship and fund-raising by the trustees raised the £1.2 million needed for the project which it is hoped will spark further regeneration of the former mining area.

Trustees secretary Maureen Alderton said: "Our village hall is a flagship for the North of England and we are proud of Hillside Construction and the wonderful job they have done.

"We overcame setbacks by working them out as a team with Hillside Ltd, our funders and sponsors."

The hall will house services ranging from childcare to health advice and guidance as well as being a venue for events and meetings.

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