Work back on track for £8m project

Plans are underway to transform the former Doncaster College building into a new centre with 50,000 sq ft of space for 58 new studios, offices and workspaces for creative, digital, arts and social enterprise businesses, set around a landscaped courtyard.

John Giddins, the chairman of Doncaster Central Development Trust, the not-for-profit organisation behind the scheme, said: “We are delighted that work has started again on this iconic site.

“This latest phase of work shows how optimistic we are about the project.

“We are still in the process of addressing the issues around one stream of our funding, but feel that we are nearing a solution.

“We are committed to the vision of transforming Church View from a much-loved, but decaying, building into a real asset for the town.”

Scaffolding was taken down and building work ceased at Church View at the end of last year, owing to a delay in obtaining £3m of European cash and what the trust described as “circumstances beyond our control”.

It was originally thought that the project would be completed by June this year but, owing to the delay, that target date is unlikely to be met.

Mr Giddins said of the project: “Its facilities, including the cafe-bar, meeting and event spaces will be widely used by local residents. It will be a place of celebration.”

Doncaster Central Development Trust was established to continue some of the work of Doncaster’s New Deal for Communities programme when it comes to an end in March.

The organisation is also still taking enquiries from businesses, groups and individuals who are interested in being based at Church View or hiring its facilities in the future. For details, call 01302 735760.