Todmorden Town Deal funding enables a more sustainable and accessible building for community use at Tod College Learning Centre and Community Hub

The funding was awarded to the community owned building to help secure its long-term future as a more accessible and sustainable centre for learning, training and community activities in the heart of the town centre.

Works carried out to date include a highly successful transformation of the acoustics in Tod College’s main hall.

Prior to the works, users of the hall for both small and large events were negatively affected by sound issues which limited events that could be held there and groups that could use it.

Tod College prioritised sustainable approaches and worked with local company, Calder Valley Projects, to ensure these values could be adopted as far as possible.

Calder Valley Projects designed, built and fitted high quality and attractive custom-made sound absorption panels which have transformed the acoustics within the hall extending its use now and for the long term.

The panels were built from sustainable and ethically sourced Poplar Ply.

In addition, improvements to security through an upgrade to the CCTV system and new entry controls, as well as an upgrade to fire protection systems to make the building as safe as possible for users have been carried out as part of the Town Deal project.

Julie Thorpe, Manager, Tod College Learning and Community Hub said: “We are delighted that with Town Deal funding the full potential of the main hall is becoming fully realised with the fantastic improvements to the acoustics.

"The difference is even greater than we expected and the feedback from users has been incredibly positive.

"We are now working with another local company to install a sound system, hearing loop and stage lighting so that the hall will be fully equipped for lots of exciting events.”

Pam Warhurst, Chair, Todmorden Town Deal Board said: “Sustainability and accessibility are at the centre of the Town Deal vision, not only in how projects are delivered to overcome challenges presented by climate crisis, but in our aspirations for the town’s future as a modern inclusive market town able to respond to current and future pressures.

"It’s fantastic to see our partner, Tod College, already contributing to our Town Deal goals through their priorities and approach to building improvements and creating better access to the opportunities both the College and the town can offer.”

This autumn Tod College will be carrying out consultations on further aspects of their Town Deal project including the community kitchen, co-working space, and improvements to the Burnley Road side of the building, working with architecture students from University of Sheffield.

Tod College was awarded £1.7m from Todmorden’s £17.5m Town Deal investment following their Full Business Case being accepted by DLUHC earlier this year.

The project is one of eight, five of them community led, that make up Todmorden’s Town Deal programme, led by Todmorden Town Deal Board.

For more information, visit www.todmordentowndeal.co.uk