A COMMUNITY building in Nelson is to undergo a £1million revamp to create a new family centre.

St Mary's Parish Centre is being transformed as part of a project by SureStart and St Mary's Church.

Under the scheme, the single-storey building will be turned into two-storeys to house the chapel, community rooms and a 40-place neighbourhood nursery.

Planning permission has been granted by Pendle Council and work is due to start on the site, in Maurice Street, in April.

Helen Mountford, programme manager for SureStart Bradley and Whitefield, said: "This is a huge refurbishment project but it will provide us with a major new facility for our work with children and families, and new community rooms for local groups and organisations.

"There are very few services for families in the Whitefield area. SureStart identified a need for the support and advice services it supplies."

As well as a nursery, which will be run by First Class Childcare, a private childcare provider, SureStart will offer activities for children and parents support for child minding groups and training.

Funding has come from SureStart who gave £600,000, Lancashire County Council gave £150,000 from its Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative and £150,000 came from the Single Regeneration Budget through Pendle Partnership. Parishioners at St Mary's who use a chapel in the parish centre for services also raised £110,000 for the work due to be completed the year.

SureStart, a national initiative set up to support parents with young children, plans to move its services at the parish centre to Nelson Civic Theatre, in Stanley Street, while the work is being carried out but that has yet to be finalised.