Work begins on £5.9m redevelopment of former Maltby Grammar School

The building, which has not been used since 2012, will be transformed into a learning centre for training, and apprenticeships in the leisure and hospitality sectors.

Plans had been lodged to demolish the building, after it fell into a state of disrepair, attracting anti-social behaviour.

However, campaigners rallied against the demolition of the building and were keen to preserve the school’s distinctive clock tower.

Now, the former school, which dates back to the 1930s, will be transformed into a three-storey community space.

The space will also house the Maltby Learning Trust central services team and the Maltby Academy Sixth Form centre, which will include several classrooms, tutorial rooms and learning spaces for students.

The government’s Levelling Up Fund will provide £4.5m towards the project which will see the building including the landmark clocktower, transformed into a three-story community space to include bookable workspaces, serviced hot-desking, seminar rooms, a community coffee shop, and an apprenticeship/skills development centre.

The trust is about to launch a ‘buy-a-brick’ fundraising scheme to secure the additional funding required for the project.

David Sutton, trust chief executive officer, said: “We are absolutely delighted to announce work has now started on redeveloping the old Maltby Grammar School.

“The works will see the old Grammar School building repurposed and will create a community resource that accommodates local services, supports wellbeing, employment and enterprise, and provides substantial learning opportunities for the Maltby community.”