Hull College Group announces partnership with £200m energy park
Hull College Group, one of the largest further and higher education colleges in the country, has announced its support for the proposed £200m Yorkshire Energy Park.
The group offers over 1,000 courses to more than 26,000 students every year from its colleges in Hull, Goole and Harrogate.
Hull College Group says the proposed scheme, which is expected to produce up to 4,480 jobs, will create new partnerships and open up opportunities for students and local people.
The Yorkshire Energy Park is a potential new development located on the former Hedon Aerodrome site on the outskirts of Hull, within the village of Preston South, to the west of Hedon.
The park is being proposed by Sewell Group, Hessle-based communications company MS3 Networks and development company Chiltern Group, and an outline planning application was submitted in May 2017.
A decision by East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Planning Committee expected in the coming weeks.
If planning permission is granted, the energy park will include an energy centre, data centre and disaster recovery suite, space for startup businesses, education, training and research facilities alongside associated short-stay accommodation, an outdoor building materials and testing facility, and sports facilities for the community.
Michelle Swithenbank, chief executive and principal of Hull College Group, said: “We recognise the importance of the energy sector in our region and already work closely with employers in this area to ensure our students get the skills they need to find the jobs that they want.
“We are very proud of our ability to tailor what we deliver according to local demand and Yorkshire Energy Park has the potential for us to develop further partnerships which could lead to new learning opportunities and long-term employment for our young people.
“We are also delighted to be the first college group to support the park alongside big names such as E.ON, Dell and Legal and General who are also backing this development, which we believe will open new doors for our students.”
Chris Turner, Yorkshire Energy Park chairman, added: “It’s fantastic to have Hull College Group’s backing for the Yorkshire Energy Park plans and we are thoroughly looking forward to working in partnership with them.
“They join a whole host of other major brand names in committing their valued support, which is crucial to the region and the positioning the Humber as the UK’s Energy Estuary. Education and creating opportunities for local people is an integral part of this development and it’s brilliant that Hull College Group is so keen to play such a significant role.”
