Northumberland College is set to move to a new site after a deal for a plot of land at the Wansbeck Business Park in Ashington.
Following a deal with the park’s owners Advance Northumberland, a new main campus for the college will be built by the Department of Education (DfE), which has appointed Sheffield-based architects Race Cottam and national development consultants Mott Macdonald to draw up plans. A planning application for the new college - which it says will stimulate the local economy in a key location in the town - will be submitted to Northumberland County Council in the coming months.
College bosses plan to develop three buildings on the 5.7-acre site that include classrooms, technical industry workshops, specialist facilities, offices and sports facilities.
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Ellen Thinnesen, chief executive of Education Partnership North East, which incorporates Northumberland College, Sunderland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form, said: “Our new Ashington Campus will transform our provision and create a fresh, modern and innovative environment for our students. The new campus will also provide a stimulus for central Ashington and a big boost for local retailers.
“We’re delighted to be working with DfE, Advance Northumberland, Ashington Town Board and other partners on our plan to relocate our provision to a central site where we can create an inspiring learning focused environment for our students, staff, employers and the wider community. In particular, I’d like to thank Michael Black, director of economic growth and investments at Advance Northumberland who has been fundamental to the success of the project so far.”
Coun Jeff Watson, chair of Advance Northumberland, said: “We’re very pleased to be able to support Northumberland College in this project. Ultimately there’s going to be a state-of-the-art campus in the centre of Ashington which I’m sure will be a real boost not just for Northumberland College but the whole of the town and the wider area. The ambitions of Northumberland College mirror the ambitions of Advance Northumberland and we’re looking forward to helping them as this scheme moves forward.”
John Johnston, chair of the Ashington Town Board, added: “The college’s purchase of the land for the new campus is fantastic news. Under the new leadership team and board of Northumberland College phenomenal progress has been made in recent years. The new campus in the town centre will provide state-of-the art facilities for students to match the excellent standard of teaching and support the college now provides.
"This is an anchor project in wider plans that are being developed for Ashington that will deliver significant positive change for the town centre. A big well done and thank you to the team at Education Partnership North East and Northumberland College who have made this possible.”
