Plans for a multi-million-pound rebuild of East Coast College’s Great Yarmouth campus were revealed to the public today at a community consultation.
The college is one of 16 across England which is expected to benefit 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.
Members of the public were given the chance to view the exciting proposals and have their say at a community consultation held in the college’s sports hall on Wednesday, 1st November.
Residents, employers, schools and community groups were invited in to see the plans and ask questions about the project.
Once approved, it is hoped construction work will begin in June 2024, ahead of the new campus being opened in time for the start of the September 2026 school term.
The new campus has been designed to be low carbon and will provide a host of new amenities for students and the wider community to enjoy, such as gym and sports facilities, a café and training restaurant, lecture hall, mock hospital ward and hair and beauty salon ran by the college’s students.
Careful planning has been undertaken to ensure disruption to students, staff and people living in the surrounding area will be kept to an absolute minimum.
Stuart Rimmer, CEO of East Coast College, said: “We are hugely excited by this project which will give our staff, students and the town access to a state-of-the-art new college.
“We have been working hard behind the scenes with the Department of Education to draw up a plan that is innovative, creative, environmentally friendly and the perfect place in which to undergo further education.
“This will massively enhance the experience we can offers students and staff and ensure that young people leave this college having enjoyed the absolute best level of education. It will enable us to put on new courses and work with the local business community to make sure we are serving their needs as effectively as possible.
“We will be working incredibly closely with staff, students and the local community over the duration of this project to keep them informed and make sure this is something they feel proud about.”
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 communities they serve.
Anyone who was unable to attend the consultation and would like to share their comments can view the plans on the consultation page on the Vincent and Gorbing website until 15th November 2023.
