Work starts on construction of £6m Preston arts and media centre

Chadderton-based J Greenwood Builders is starting the development of a £6m teaching centre at Cardinal Newman College in Preston.

The 1,200 sq m St Catherine Building will house the Catholic sixth form college’s expanding media and art departments and is due for completion in January 2025.

Focused on further enhancing the college’s academic offering, the ‘art quarter’ will integrate TV and digital media departments with existing art facilities, while also providing eternal landscaped space.

The new facility will deliver a cutting-edge TV studio, fully equipped photo studio, dedicated graphics, art, and media rooms alongside additional classrooms with dedicated open learning areas, staff rooms and offices.

Designed to satisfy the requirements of the Department for Education specification of Net Zero in Operation, St Catherine Building will reduce the energy required to operate and maintain such a structure.

While the scheme will deliver transformative change in the college’s physical landscape, it also proves the institution’s forward looking approach to education, underscoring its determination to provide students with the best possible resources and facilities to foster their academic growth and creative potential.

Adrian Rooney, J Greenwood Builders managing director, said: “The challenging logistics and highly technical design of the building are something our experienced team, supported by talented designers and our long established and trusted supply chain, look forward to progressing.”

A spokesperson for the college said: “The building will be a fabulous addition to the college’s already excellent facilities, providing additional classrooms and studio spaces for our creative subjects, including media, photography and graphic design.

“We are also really proud that this new build will also support the college’s carbon commitment, whilst providing state-of-the-art facilities for our students to work and learn in.”

The project team for the Cardinal Newman College centre is: Principal contractor – J.Greenwood (Builders); employers agent – E3 Cube; quantity surveyors – Appleyard & Trew; architects – Ellis Williams Architects; civil & structural engineers – WML Consulting; MEP engineers – Crooks Walker Consulting.