Preston College appoints GVA Grimley planning advisers
GVA Grimley's Manchester office has won the contract to provide planning consultancy advice on the £80m redevelopment of Preston College's estate.
The college provides tertiary education for over 22,000 people from across Preston, central Lancashire and beyond. It delivers A-levels, vocational courses, employer-based training, 14-19 programmes with secondary schools and higher education provision.
The project involves the demolition of obsolete buildings on the main Fulwood site and the creation of a new campus to open in 2012. The college's smaller, Park Campus, will be sold with the proceeds helping to fund the consolidation of teaching activity at Fulwood.
The college will shortly be submitting an application to the Learning & Skills Council to get 'in principle' approval for the funding for the majority of the project, with the remainder of funds coming from borrowings and the college's own resources. Following LSC approval, planning applications for the two campuses will be submitted to Preston City Council later this year.
"The initial plans being drawn up are really exciting for the college, its learners and for the future delivery of tertiary education in Preston," says Andrew Thompson, associate at GVA Grimley's Manchester office. "We look forward to helping guide the college through the planning process and achieving the aim of opening the new campus just in time for the City's Guild celebration in 2012."
