New Campus Development Announced

artist's impression of new campus building

South Cheshire College today (Mon) announced exciting plans for a new flagship campus which will lead education in Crewe and Nantwich into a new era.

The high-flying college is being completely rebuilt on its Dane Bank site to prepare it for the 21st century and provide a first-class education facility at the heart of the community.

The £47 million project, which will hopefully be part-funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), centres on the creation of a carbon-neutral building which is environmentally sustainable.

In the new design curriculum areas will be grouped together in clusters and connected by vibrant social spaces and a blend of indoor and outdoor zones in an attractive setting.

There will be a central student heart to the new campus with outlets and facilities and areas to showcase student work.

The new building will be purpose-designed and will meet the needs of learners of all ages and abilities.

During the last few months, representatives from the College have met with councillors and community figureheads to involve them in the proposed development.

Members of the local community will be able to make use of the state-of-the-art facilities and the new building will have a sense of 'home' and a 'family' atmosphere.

South Cheshire College Principal Dr David Collins is excited about the new campus development and believes it is the way forward for education in Crewe and Nantwich.

Dr Collins CBE said: "We have been planning the facility for some time now and a new campus is needed to prepare the College for the 21st century

"Our overriding aim is to create the finest education building in the country and deliver a flagship, purpose-designed college which matches the excellence in our provision.

"Hopefully the new build will be a huge boost for the local community and inspire our staff and students for many generations to come."

South Cheshire College is currently the sole provider of post-16 education in Crewe and is home to well over 11,000 full time and part time students and 400 staff.

The College is the best in the country, after an outstanding 2004 Ofsted inspection, and as well as gaining Beacon Status it was also rated as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in a Sunday Times survey earlier this year.

Plans for the new build development project have taken a step forward with the appointment of the design team.

Jefferson Sheard Architects will be masterminding the design for the new building while Turner and Townsend have been appointed as the project management company.

Jefferson Sheard has a wealth of experience and has delivered or is currently in the process of delivering £110 million worth of projects in the further education sector.

Major projects which the company has masterminded include Sheffield College's new Castle Campus, which includes a green roof and wind turbines, and Liverpool South Parkway Station - a benchmark project for Merseytravel.

Project Architect Claire Ailward said: "The new building is planned around clusters of related disciplines, connected by lively and exciting shared social spaces.

"The aim is to create an open learning environment which will provide a wonderful learning experience."

The development project will also deliver enhanced sports facilities, a theatre, conference facility, restaurants, hair and beauty salons and a health spa.

A new plumbing area has also been earmarked to increase the College's course provision within the building trades.

The total cost of the new build is £34.6 million with the overall cost of the project stretching to £47 million.

There could be a further cash boost for the College, of around 10 per cent, if the College proves its commitment to providing a building which is environmentally sustainable.

Several options were considered for the new campus including a new build at Mill Street and a re-model and part new build but it was decided to do a complete new build on the Dane Bank site.

The final proposals and design of the new campus will hopefully be supported and agreed by the planners and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in spring 2007 - with the final LSC sign off next autumn.

A contractor will then be selected by tender with building work set to get underway in March / April 2008 working towards a September 2010 opening.

During the initial planning process the College has been working closely with staff, students, head teachers, local officers, politicians and residents to bring the exciting project to fruition.

Dr Collins added: "This is the start of what promises to be a very exciting journey for South Cheshire College.

"We want to cater for the needs of everyone in the community and we believe that this new design will do that.

"The aim is to provide a state-of-the-art facility at the heart of the community which we can all be extremely proud of."

Local residents and councillors have been invited to a special presentation on the campus development project in South Cheshire College's Dane Bank Theatre on Wednesday 8 November at 7pm.

For further information about the new campus development project please contact Chris Bentley at South Cheshire College on +44 (0)1270 654652