YORKSHIRE Water is set to invest in the redevelopment of Esholt Hall to transform the historic building into a flagship Centre of Excellence for learning and wellbeing.

The building, which was closed in 2017, will be renovated to provide a state-of-the-art venue for Yorkshire Water’s new training academy, which will provide colleagues and the wider water industry with access to innovative new facilities.

The redevelopment of the hall will provide new classroom spaces, for Yorkshire Water’s academies of Water, Wastewater, Health & Safety, Leadership & Management, Customer Experience and Systems & Technology.

Once completed, the hall will also offer an opportunity for Yorkshire Water colleagues to meet and collaborate, as well as providing a range of wellbeing resources and activities.

Peter Coddington, project lead at Yorkshire Water, said: “We are committed to making our land deliver excellence for the people of Yorkshire and this is one of many projects delivering on our new Land Strategy. Esholt Hall is a magnificent building with a long history and we’re delighted to have agreed a plan to bring it back to its former glory, while ensuring it supports our colleagues and the local community.

“Our new Centre of Excellence, which is already operating in the renovated Courtyard buildings on the site, will be able to provide industry-leading training to our colleagues and the wider industry once the building is completed.”

Yorkshire Water will also work in partnership with local colleges, such as Leeds College of Building, Bradford College and Bishop Burton College, so students can enhance their skills by working with a historic building.

Esholt is just one of the locations that will form part of Yorkshire Water’s new Academy, ensuring the company’s colleagues continue to provide leading levels of service to its customers across the region.

Alongside the redevelopment of Esholt Hall, plans have been submitted by Keyland, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister company to Yorkshire Water, to transform the redundant land around Esholt wastewater treatment works into an innovative and pioneering sustainable development.