Work underway on £49m Wigan & Leigh College campus
Main contractor Willmott Dixon is already on site demolishing the educational facility’s 69,000 sq ft arts block – a move that will pave the way for a revamped Parsons Walk Campus.
Willmott Dixon is aiming to start construction of a three-storey, 116,400 sq ft teaching block on the site later this year. The target completion date for Wigan & Leigh College project is 2027.
When it opens for the more than 3,400 student who study at the campus, the £49m facility will house a mixture of laboratories, seminar rooms, and IT suites. A restaurant, florist, and salon, which will be operated by students, are also on the cards.
Wigan & Leigh College will remain operational throughout the construction period. Once the building is fully open, the final set of work will begin – the razing of the campus’s main building and tower block.
Planning permission for the net zero in operation campus was approved by Wigan Council in January. Green initiatives include solar panels and a target of 40% biodiversity net gain through soft landscaping.
“This is an exciting time for the college,” said Wigan & Leigh College chief executive and principal Anna Dawe.
“The new campus is part of the college’s future commitment to skills delivery in Wigan Borough and a major part of our net zero strategy,” she continued.
“We believe the campus redevelopment will inspire and equip our students for the seamless transition into the world of work and future skills needs.”
The teaching block will be net zero in operation. Credit: via Willmott Dixon
Willmott Dixon secured the contract through the Department for Education construction framework. The main contractor is well-versed in net zero in operation schools, having built the Tarleton Academy in Preston and Brian Clarke Academy in Oldham.
Michael Poole-Sutherland, director for Willmott Dixon in the North, said: “Our team of education and sustainability sector specialists will bring a wealth of experience to Wigan & Leigh College, with the 14,000 people who choose to study here every year being at the heart of everything we do.”
He also described the social value programme Willmott Dixon is undertaking as part of the scheme.
“We share the college and the DfE’s commitment to creating a catalyst for changing lives for local people and are committed to investing in local skills and organisations, with a focus on opportunities for young and unemployed Wigan residents,” Poole-Sutherland said.
“As part of that, we will create 200 weeks of apprenticeships, support 15 T-level placements, deliver 180 weeks of work experience, and engage hundreds of local students.”
You can learn more about the project by searching reference number A/23/96251/MAJPSI on Wigan Council’s planning portal. Consultants who helped secure permission for the scheme include Turley, Pace Consult, Roscoe, Pinnacle Furniture, Tace, OFR, and EVR Consulting.
