Project: Learning in Todmorden
Project: Learning in Todmorden
Project: Learning in Todmorden

Introduction

The former College building has been asset transferred to Todmorden Learning Centre and Community Hub (TLCCH) CBS. The CBS is constitutionally bound to serve its community above all other interests.

The College building is well-designed and remains fit for purpose with all services and full disabled access to 95% of the building.

Facilities include a hall, stage, gym, classrooms, conference rooms, workshops, offices and a Children’s Centre.

The Towns Fund will enable the TLCCH to:

  • Improve thermal efficiency, which will reduce reliance on fossil fuels and reduce overheads
  • Improve ventilation, which improves indoor air quality and will result in less reliance again on fossil fuels to run mechanical equipment and will reduce overheads
  • Install public access Wi-Fi and high-speed broadband for business users
  • Restore the sports hall and gym to their original capacity to allow functions, conferences, and concerts.

The College building is well-designed and remains fit for purpose with all services and full disabled access to 95% of the building.

Facilities include a hall, stage, gym, classrooms, conference rooms, workshops, offices and a Children’s Centre.

The Towns Fund will enable the TLCCH to:

  • Improve thermal efficiency, which will reduce reliance on fossil fuels and reduce overheads
  • Improve ventilation, which improves indoor air quality and will result in less reliance again on fossil fuels to run mechanical equipment and will reduce overheads
  • Install public access Wi-Fi and high-speed broadband for business users
  • Restore the sports hall and gym to their original capacity to allow functions, conferences, and concerts.

Project Outline

The College is a community-owned building offering workshop, conference, meeting and learning facilities to the local community.

Our ambition is to provide opportunities for local people to develop the skills needed for jobs in the renewable energy and green economies, including in food production and processing, and natural building.

Todmorden Town Deal funding will enable much-needed improvements to the spaces and facilities for the community to use. Making the building more energy efficient is our most important goal given the current energy price situation.

What It Will Achieve

  • More energy efficient through insulation, glazing improvements, and installation of renewable energy systems
  • Better internal environment including reception area and refurbishment of meeting rooms
  • Create a new mini co-working and hot-desking space
  • Better sound and lighting in the main hall
  • State-of-the-art community kitchen and food learning space through refurbishing the old ‘cookery classroom’
  • Improved appearance and air quality through a green wall of plants and vegetation on the main road facade
  • Better safety and security through upgrades to fire safety, intruder alarms, CCTV, car park
  • Better disabled access within the building and a new ‘Changing Places’ facility

Progress So Far

Our Full Business Case has been approved by government.

This sets out how funding will cover the costs of improvements to the College.

We are working with building engineers and architects to plan the most effective and environmentally friendly way of preventing heat loss from the building.

Achieving this is essential to the long-term future of the College.

The Next Steps

We are now busy with:

  • Detailed technical design work for the building improvements to be undertaken
  • Tendering – getting quotes to ensure we get the best value for money before work begins
  • Appointing contractors we want to work with
  • Starting work on the building – improvements are already visible.

Towns Fund Alignment

✓ Arts, culture & heritage
✓ Skills infrastructure
✓ Enterprise infrastructure
✓ Covid-19 recovery plan
✓ Clean growth

Strategic Alignment

✓ National Planning Policy Framework
✓ New Green Economy
✓ UK Clean Growth Strategy
✓ Our Green Future
✓ Towards an Active Nation
✓ Welcome to Yorkshire Recovery Plan
✓ West Yorkshire Low Emissions Strategy
✓ Leeds City Region Strategic Economic Plan
✓ Draft Todmorden Neighbourhood Plan

Town Deal Funding will:

  • Support long-term community and educational use in a sustainable venue
  • Improve facilities to support a number of new learners
  • Facilitate more visitors to arts, culture and heritage events
  • Improve perceptions by residents, visitors and businesses
  • Enable more learners to gain relevant experience

About The Project Lead

Todmorden College was ‘asset-transferred’ to a community benefit society, Todmorden Learning Centre and Community Hub from Calderdale Council in the Spring of 2021. This means the building is now community owned and run. The transfer came after five years of campaigning by the community to save the building from being bulldozed.

Funder

Accountable Body

Project Lead

Funder

Accountable Body

Project Lead