Leamington Spa's Old Town set for £3m revamp

The Grade II listed United Reformed Church is among the buildings that will be transformed

An historic part of Leamington Spa is set to undergo a £3m makeover.

Three rundown buildings off Spencer Street, in the area known locally as Old Town, will be restored to create modern workspaces.

The project includes the regeneration of the Grade II listed United Reformed Church which dates back to 1838.

The funding is being provided by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

The Neo-Classical style church, plus the Crown building and a former nursery will be converted into more than 18,000sq ft of office space to make room for the town's growing digital creative sector, the council has said.

It forms part of the wider Spencer Yard scheme, which is expected to create more than 140 jobs, and cost £45.5m in total.

The scheme is being delivered by Complex Development Projects as the first phase of a 10-year partnership regeneration programme with Warwick District Council.

'Heads will be turned'

Andy Street, West Midlands mayor and WMCA chair, said: "Digital is the golden thread that increasingly runs right through all aspects of the modern working world and is central to building the high skilled, high wage economy of the future.

"We will continue to work with Warwick District Council - and indeed other local authorities - to regenerate derelict sites and drive economic growth in the months and years ahead."

Andrew Day, leader of Warwick District Council, added: "This is another vote of confidence in the future of Leamington Spa.

"Once these amazing buildings have been reimagined and revealed, heads will be turned across the country, helping to attract further exciting businesses, innovators and start-up companies into our wonderful town."