Work has started to build a £1.9 million landmark performing artists' workspace in Bradford for actors with learning disabilities.

Bradford Council has been working with theatre company Mind The Gap to create the centre within purpose-built premises in the Silk Warehouse, part of Urban Splash's regeneration of Lister Mills in Manningham, Bradford.

The group started in 1988 in an attic in Girlington, Bradford, and went on to make its home at the former Queens Road police station in Manningham but it had to hire out other venues as rehearsal space.

They are temporarily based at the Design Exchange in Little Germany while the conversion of the former Dye House at the Grade II-listed mill takes place.

Funding was secured by Bradford Council and Mind the Gap through grants from the European Regional Development Fund and the Arts Council.

Bradford Council's bid raised £619,000 and Mind the Gap's £199,000, which plugged the gap in capital needed after the Arts Council donated £1.25 million.

The Council's regeneration department secured a lease from Urban Splash to convert and refurbish the two-storey building, which will be sub-let to Mind the Gap. It is hoped the centre will be built and ready to hand over by July.

Head of the district's regeneration Councillor Andrew Mallinson said: "Mind the Gap provides a wonderful service in the community and Bradford Council has worked very hard with them to secure funding to make this new centre possible."

Mind the Gap is recognised as one of Britain's leading disability-related theatre companies.

"It creates high-quality touring theatre with learning-disabled and non-disabled artists.

The conversion will bring all Mind the Gap's services under one roof, including training and outreach work, and allow it to expand training and rehearsal space.

Mind the Gap's co-founder and artistic director Tim Wheeler said: ""Everyone at Mind the Gap is delighted that building work has got under way to create our new performing artists' workspace in the former Silk Warehouse at Lister Mills."

The design of the new facilities have been developed in consultation with the theatre company's team and the project's design won an inclusive design award from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment last year.

Jonathan Ide, an actor who trains with Mind the Gap, said: "At Lister Mills we will have everything we need.

"It's exciting to think about having a rehearsal studio and technical box to learn about making theatre with."

The final stage of equipping the spaces for the theatre work and wider community use is funded by WREN and the Wolfson Foundation.

Mr Wheeler added: "We're staying in Bradford because we grew up here and we're part of its future."

e-mail: jo.winrow @bradford.newsquest.co.uk