Harrogate College has been awarded £16m of government funding to replace its main building on Hornbeam Park.
The college, which serves the Harrogate district, is one of five education institutions in Yorkshire to receive funding from the Department for Education’s Further Education Capital Transformation Fund.
The £1.5 billion fund was set up last year to upgrade further education colleges over the next five years.
It means the Harrogate district will get a new a purpose-built space for technical and vocational education.
The new energy-efficient building will include a workshop providing facilities aligned to industry needs. It will complement the college’s existing tech centre, which is home to its motor vehicle, electrical, joinery and welding workshops.
An existing £4m budget will be used to pay for the demolition of the old college building.
A statement by the college today said the move will support priority growth sectors for Harrogate and North Yorkshire such as advanced manufacturing, low carbon construction, retrofit, sustainable energy and bioeconomy, health science and hospitality.
Danny Wild
Danny Wild, principal at Harrogate College, welcomed the funding and said it will go a long way in improving the college’s facilities.
“Being able to work towards having a net zero carbon building, alongside a learning environment that will help our students progress on to university or the workplace is central to our strategic priorities, and this funding will be central in supporting us to achieve this.
“The development will also help us deliver a wide range of T Level qualifications, which will not only close the skills gaps, but will reinforce the government’s nationwide plan to strengthen technical education and give it the credibility it deserves.
“This upgrade will strengthen the work we are doing with businesses in the district to deliver an employer-led curriculum, alongside supporting the council’s aims to prioritise and support ‘good growth’ in the district, and achieve a sustainable economy.”
As part of the project, there are also plans to install green electric based heating systems, as well as a soft landscaped social hub, which will improve biodiversity on site.
The government says the investment will ensure that colleges are “great places to learn and students have access to modern, fit-for-purpose facilities”.
