Kirklees College gets go ahead to move to new £85m Huddersfield site

Sep 2 2009 By Nick Lavigueur

Delight after Kirklees College given green light to move to new £85m Huddersfield premises

KIRKLEES College has finally been given the green light to build new premises in Huddersfield.

The decision to fund the £85m project, one of only 12 granted across England, has also delighted Kirklees Council leaders as it is the final piece in the jigsaw for Huddersfield’s ambitious £175m waterfront project.

The relocation had been in doubt due to a cash crisis at the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), the body funding further education colleges across the country.

But now the whole Waterfront project, located on the site of Sellers Engineering between Chapel Hill and Manchester Road, is back on track.

The eight-acre site will include new offices, flats, shops and open spaces.

College bosses hope to move from their ageing premises on New North Road to the purpose-built campus in September 2012.

And it is thought the college will be able to expand its enrolment to 20,000 students.

Chris Sadler, Principal of Kirklees College, said he was “relieved and delighted” the project had finally got the go-ahead.

He said: “It’s been a long time but we’ve worked closely with everybody concerned and we’re just absolutely delighted for ourselves, for the town and its residents.

“For students it means better facilities, better accommodation, more opportunities.

“There will be brand new facilities associated with student support in terms of learning resources and better classroom space, but also better social space for students, exercise areas, dance space, new restaurants, hairdressing – a whole range of things.”

Melanie Brooke, Vice-Principal Corporate Services at Kirklees College, confirmed the premises on New North Road would be sold to finance part of the project.

She added: “This really is wonderful news as we now have the go ahead to begin work on this exciting development which will give the people of Kirklees a fantastic place to learn and work.

“We’re due to open September 2012 but we will be ready by May or June of that year.