Investment in the Leach Pottery will create a community hub with a new production studio, kilns and a learning suite on a world class site where local people and visitors can come together to train, develop their creativity, improve their wellbeing, support each other and bring clay to life. This will help to create new all year round jobs, as well as providing additional training, work facilities and apprenticeships.
The creation of a heritage digital trail will highlight opportunities for locals and visitors to explore St Ives away from congested high traffic areas. This will bring economic benefits not only to organisations on the trail but also to the wider town as people explore previously “hidden” areas.
The project has been awarded £4.9 million from the St Ives Town Deal Fund.
Planning permission for the first phase was granted in May 2023. Phase 2 was given planning permission in January 2024, with work beginning in early 2025.
Latest News
Update April 2026
Work is progressing well on the exciting project to transform and improve the world-famous Leach Pottery for its next 100 years.
The two-year project will see the repair and conservation of historic buildings on the site, with a refurbished and extended museum, an expanded shop, new galleries, a welcome space and café.
The building has been designed to celebrate the studio rooflines and traditional materials that define the character and artistic heritage of the town. This includes the use of zinc shingles, an exterior cladding which will quickly weather to resemble the slate shingles found on the side of many local buildings in St Ives.
Work on the first phase – the construction of the new Learning and Production Centre – is due to be completed in April.
The design of the new Centre includes a production studio, teaching studios and a classroom for schools, offering opportunities to stage more classes and community workshops and increase pottery production. The completed project will help to create new all-year-round jobs, as well as provide additional training, work facilities and apprenticeships.
The Kiln Shed is also now complete, with the project team planning to stage informal tours of the site for local people in June.
The full project is due to completed in early 2027.
You can keep up to date on the project and see the building take shape on the Leach Pottery website: https://www.leachpottery.com/live-updates
The project team are very aware of the importance of the location of the Pottery at a major entry point into the town. The building has been designed to celebrate the studio rooflines and traditional materials that define the character and artistic heritage of the town. This includes the use of zinc shingles, an exterior cladding which will quickly weather to resemble the slate shingles found on the side of many local buildings in St Ives.
Although the site will continue to provide accessible parking and encourage green travel, with bike racks and a bus stop outside the entrance, the focus on providing community facilities means it has not been possible to increase spaces for cars. Visitors travelling by car are encouraged to use the main town park, which is a short walk from the site.
https://www.leachpottery.com/live-updates
TOWN Stories ( Digital Trail)
Evolved from the Digital Trail, the Town Stories project, overseen by the FOUR Agency, is continuing to make progress.
Led by a steering group with representatives from the St Ives Museum, Jumbo Association, The Orchard Project, Penwith Gallery, St Ives Town Council, St Ives Archive and St Ives School of Painting as well as St Ives BID and CLT, the project involves the production of five narratives: the history of the harbour, the history of Penbeagle Hill, moving sculptures, hidden creative spaces and the legacy of the School of Painting
The current aim is to finalise the content, which will include films, music, writing and podcasts, so it can be officially launched at the St Ives Festival.
