Green light for NW colleges
THE Learning and Skills Council has approved two more capital projects for new colleges in Manchester and Lancashire.
Lancashire, Skelmersdale and Ormskirk College, now part of Newcastle College, will build a new £42.8m campus in Skelmersdale, with the LSC giving £32.6m towards costs.
Meanwhile, Manchester College will be revitalising its campus on Brownley Road, Wythenshawe to improve its vocational and sixth form facilities. The £27.5m project is the final phase of the college’s redevelopment scheme, with the LSC contributing just over £7m.
Geoff Russell, chief executive of the LSC, said: “Both projects will provide new, modern education facilities needed in both areas, and both projects will be major investments for their communities.
“Confirmation of these projects completes the first phase of the major review of college capital funding that the LSC has been conducting for almost a year. We have managed the difficult task of investing limited funds for the projects that will meet the highest level of needs, as recommended by Sir Andrew Foster’s review.”
Property consultancy Drivers Jonas has managed the selection of three contractors on behalf of The Manchester College for new schemes in Harpurhey and Didsbury, as well as the Wythenshawe site.
ISG has been appointed to construct the 8,500 sq m sixth form campus at the Wythenshawe site on Brownley Road.
Quarmby Construction will create £6.2m of additional sixth form facilities on Rochdale Road in Harpurhey, that will include the restoration of the Grade II listed Harpurhey baths and over 3,000 sq m of space.
At the Fielden campus in Didsbury, Wates has been appointed to carry out £6.4m of major internal and external refurbishment work on The Manchester College’s existing buildings.
The assembled project team also includes Walker Simpson Architects, quantity surveyors Simon Fenton Partnership, structural engineering group Arup, and engineering company Operon.
Construction on the Fielden and Harpurhey projects has already commenced, with the Wythenshawe project due to start before the end of September.
The latest announcement by the LSC is in addition to the 12 projects announced at the beginning of September, three of which are in the North West: Furness College, St Helens College, and West Cheshire College.
