Plans for the multi-million-pound redevelopment of East Coast College’s Great Yarmouth campus have been given the green light.
The college is one of 16 across England benefitting from the government’s £1.5bn FE Capital Transformation Fund to transform its campus in Suffolk Road to create a modern, state-of-the-art college equipped with a mock hospital ward, digital suites, hair and beauty salon ran by the college’s students, new gym and sports facilities, a lecture hall, training kitchen and restaurants.
The application was approved by Great Yarmouth Borough Council following the submission by contractors Kier and the Department for Education. The plans include the development of a new part two, part three storey building, including incorporation and extension of the college’s existing sports hall.
Following planning approval, it is hoped construction work will begin in summer 2024 with the creation of a new reception entrance and temporary staff parking area, ahead of the main construction work starting in August to develop the new college building, car park and landscaping. The new campus aims to be opened for the start of the September 2026 academic term.
Urmila Rasan, Deputy CEO at East Coast College, said: “We are delighted the plans have been approved and extremely excited for the first phase of work to begin this summer on what promises to be a fantastic asset for the community in Great Yarmouth and beyond.
“Our new college will provide a state-of-the-art, enhanced learning environment which is equipped with industry-standard facilities. It will be the perfect place in which to undergo further education, accommodating school leavers, apprentices, and adult learners to develop their talents and take a step towards their dream careers.
“We have undertaken careful planning to ensure disruption to students, staff and people living in the surrounding area is kept to an absolute minimum while the development takes place, with access to the site coordinated to limit the impact on neighbours and the wider community. We will ensure everyone involved is kept up to date on our progress as we develop this fantastic community facility.”
The new campus has been designed to be low carbon in operation and will provide a host of new amenities for students and the wider community to enjoy.
The FE Capital Transformation Fund was first launched in September 2020 to rebuild and transform college estates and create modern, fit-for-purpose spaces that meet the needs of students and the local community.