St Mary's Morley: CGI images offer first look at multi-million pound revamp of Leeds church hall
New CGI images have offered a first look at a multi-million pound project to transform a historic building in south Leeds.
Leeds City Council and Leeds City College are hoping to turn the former St Mary’s in the Wood church hall into Morley Learning and Skills Centre.
The Grade II listed building, on Commercial Street, was purchased by the council last year using part of the £24.3 million Morley Towns Fund grant - part of the government’s national Levelling Up policy.
The plan is to convert the interior to create a new facility that will focus on providing training to boost the skills of adults, particularly in emerging and new technologies.
Leeds City College’s Director of Adult Curriculum, Jo Dye, said: “This exciting venture is all about helping local people gain the skills they need to maximise their potential, through a joint effort by the college and the council, backed by the Morley Town Deal.
“We have been talking to residents and local businesses to hear exactly what kinds of training would be most beneficial, and that will continue as the project progresses so we can tailor our offer accordingly.”
A full planning application is due to be submitted soon, but in the meantime residents can learn more at a public information session that will be held at Morley Town Hall from 4pm to 7pm next Wednesday (May 29).
The plans include the addition of ramps and a lift, to make the former Sunday school building - which dates back to 1900 - fully accessible. A modern ‘learning pod’ is also being proposed for the main hall.
The centre will run business and management courses along with English and maths classes, as well as its digital training, to ensure it offers something to a broad spectrum of learners. Its technology courses, meanwhile, will cover everything from baseline IT skills to coding and virtual reality.
Morley Town Deal Board Chair, Gerald Jennings, added: “I am delighted that plans for the Morley-based Learning and Skills Centre are progressing apace, and to be a part of something that will benefit the town and its people for many generations to come.”
The college and council are hoping to open Morley Learning and Skills Centre in late 2025.