A PROJECT to transform a Grade II listed church building has received £549,000 in its first allocation of funding from Truro Town Deal.

The extension and refurbishment of Truro Methodist Church is intended to create more community space.

Previously known as Truro Community Hub, the project will adopt the name Kemeneth - meaning ‘community’ in Cornish - moving forward.

Under the Town Deal, Kemeneth has been awarded £952,000 through the Town Deal as well as £500,000 match funding from Cornwall Council.

An initial downpayment of £549,000 has been released to start work on phase one of the project, which will involve a three-storey extension to existing buildings at the rear of the church. This will provide an additional 140 square metres of community space and new toilets.

Construction of the new building is scheduled to start in late spring 2025 and be substantially completed by March 2026. The Methodist church’s existing facilities will continue to be available during the construction period.

Further phases include the creation of a new welcoming entrance to the side and a new community café, followed by refurbishing existing buildings at the rear of the church.

More than 114 local groups – including Rainbows and Brownies - use the church’s meeting rooms currently, with increasing demand for availability.

Rev Mark Dunn-Wilson said: "It has taken so much hard work and commitment to get this far, so I am thrilled we can see the start of the build coming into focus. I believe the Truro Community Hub will make such a positive difference for the community of Truro.”

Construction of the new building is scheduled to start in late spring 2025 and be substantially completed by March 2026. The Methodist church’s existing facilities will continue to be available during the construction period.

Kemeneth is the final project within the Truro Town Deal portfolio to have signed a Grant Funding Agreement and receive funds.

Alan Stanhope, chair of Truro Town Deal board, said: “This is another great step forward in the delivery of our Town Investment Plan – it means all our projects have now been contracted and the real work begins.

“I’m looking forward to work beginning and for Kemeneth to bring welcoming, extended space for the hundreds of community groups that enjoy using it.”

In June 2021, Truro Town Deal Board, in partnership with Cornwall Council, was awarded £23.6-million from the Government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund to support a range of projects that will contribute to the city’s regeneration and boost the local economy.

Truro was one of four Cornish locations to submit successful bids for Town Deal funding; the others were Camborne, Penzance and St Ives. In total, Cornwall will receive up to £88.7 million from the Town Deals programme.