WORK is well underway on the transformation of Leigh Town Hall.

The grade II-listed building will be refurbished and a new home for the archives created along with new museum and exhibition spaces was well as a new public searchroom.

Wigan Council secured a £1.3m investment from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Revealing Wigan Archives project.

Walter Carefoot and Sons has started work at the site, which is expected to be completed in spring 2020.

Managing director Colin Carefoot said: “We are delighted to be working with Wigan Council on this exciting project to transform this iconic building as part of the council’s Construction Framework.

"The Leigh Town Hall project will allow us to continue to the social value initiatives we have been delivering with schools, Wigan and Leigh College and homeless charity, The Brick.”

Historic records at the collection date back 800 years

A searchroom will be built on the ground floor of the town hall which can be accessed by residents and visitors who want to research into their past.

A museum space will be created with a new exhibition programme shaped by the community which will reveal stories from the archives and museum collections.

Children and young people will be able to learn more about the archives with an outreach and engagement programme for schools.

There will also be volunteering opportunities for people to get involved with including helping to digitise collections, hosting visits, welcoming visitors and stewarding exhibitions.

Three vacant shops will be converted into new archives and museum exhibition space.

Additional units will be used as specialist storage to protect the collection, which will transform the Leigh archives base and restore part of the town hall building.

Lesley O’Halloran, assistant director for customer services, said: “The archives are vital to our understanding of Wigan Borough’s past as well as bringing history alive for residents and visitors alike. This will enhance the cultural offer of Leigh, alongside the fantastic work already ongoing at the Turnpike Gallery, to bring more visitors to the borough in the coming years.”