WORK is nearing completion on a £1.2 million enterprise and community centre in the heart of Idle.

Inspired Neighbourhoods, the community interest company which has developed the scheme, hopes to get the keys to the building soon and is inviting small businesses interested in taking up office space to get in touch.

Disused Thorp Methodist Church has been transformed into The Wright Watson Enterprise Centre with help from a variety of grants including money from the European Regional Development Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund, Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd and Bradford Council.

About £800,000 of the total went on replacing the roof and expanding the 1980s church.

The new-look centre, with its seven office spaces for fledgling entrepreneurs, will offer business support and resources as well as two areas for community hire for meetings and groups.

Free WiFi and a cafe also form part of the plans.

Anyone signing up for office space, which includes utilities, will get the first month's rent free.

Talks are also reaching the end stage between Inspired Neighbourhoods and Bradford Council to rehouse the village library and archive, extending its opening hours.

As well as restructuring the building, the graveyard will be a community garden with gravestones set around the walls.

The site was home to Idle Wesleyan Chapel from 1810, which was replaced by the existing building in 1982. It is also the burial place of Wright Watson, a prominent local author and historian, after whom the development is named.

The centre's enterprise coach Mike Whitehouse said there will also be an exhibition space dedicated to Idle and a project is already working closely with local historians to piece it together. There will also be work with a nearby primary school.

Mr Whitehouse added: "We are almost there with the centre now, it's just the finishing touches. All the utilities are connected and we are raring to go. It's come within budget which is great."

He said the kind of businesses who might like to take up space in the centre are possibly those that have been running from home and are looking for the next step up.

Anyone who is listed as a Social Enterprise or a Registered Charity might also qualify for substantial discount on business rates.

To find out more about renting office space or to use it for the community, contact Mike Whitehouse or Colin Brear who is the centre's marketing and community co-ordinator on 01274 665598, or email: c.brear@incic.co.uk