Leeds City Council buys Morley church as part of £24.3m investment that will see it turned into learning centre

The council was successful in its bid to purchase St Mary’s in the Wood United Reformed Church in central Morley in July for an undisclosed sum.

The Grade II listed Victorian building, located on Commercial Street, is the former Sunday School for the congregation of St Mary’s in the Wood. In 2008, the church consolidated its buildings and all church worship and activities thereafter operated from the former Sunday School site, which has now been purchased by Leeds City Council. The vacant church building on Coffin Corner was sold to an independent developer in 2008, before being destroyed by fire in 2010. The Coffin Corner site remains in private hands.

The purchase forms a part of the Morley Town Deal’s investment in the town and will see the building’s use change to a learning and skills centre for Morley operated by Luminate Education Group. It is envisaged that the centre will focus on raising skills for adults through vocational training, particularly in new and emerging technologies.

Commenting on the purchase, Leeds City Council executive member for sustainable development and infrastructure, Councillor Helen Hayden, said: “The purchase of St Mary’s in the Wood United Reformed Church is a key step in delivering the Morley Town Deal’s adult education ambitions.

“Public consultation has shown there is a real thirst for a local technology-focused learning provision in Morley. I am looking forward to seeing the plans and curriculum for this valuable resource develop over the coming months.”

All funding for the purchase of the building comes from the £24.3 million Towns Fund grant awarded by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to the Morley Town Deal in 2022. Leeds City College will commit further funds for the redevelopment of the building, running costs, and development of the curriculum.

Jo Dye, Director of Adult Curriculum at Leeds City College, said: “This campus will allow us to create a strong local education provision so that people in Morley and surrounding areas can learn new skills and gain the necessary qualifications they need to progress to further studies or improve their career prospects.

“The technology centre, as part of the campus, will aim to bridge the skills gaps in digital and IT, which are vital for current and future jobs across many industries. We’re proud that our facilities will allow us to deliver focused training to help the people and businesses of Morley, and Leeds, flourish.”

Chair of the Morley Town Deal Board, Gerald Jennings, added: “The purchase of St Mary’s in the Wood highlights the Town Deal Board’s commitment to not only the infrastructure of Morley but also long-term investment in its people.

“I have no doubt the Morley Learning and Skills Centre will become an educational centre of excellence in the coming years and provide access to learning that the people of Morley have called for through our consultations.”

Consultations on the new learning and skills centre and the curriculum will start in early 2024 and it is expected the college will open and start operating in 2025/26.

More Information on the Morley Town Deal and its projects can be found online.