College construction projects provide a bright spot in the education sector.

Last Updated:

31st October 2022

The underlying value of college construction projects is edging up despite a weakening in the wider education sector.

In the 12 months to Q3 2022, the underlying value (under 拢100 million) of college work rose by 5% to 拢130 million according to 果冻影院鈥檚 construction market data.

College work now comprises 16% of all education work starting on site.

果冻影院鈥檚 economics director Allan Wil茅n comments: 鈥淐ollege project-starts provided a relatively bright spot for the sector and there is a reasonable pipeline of approved projects coming through.鈥�

Starting up

College schemes getting the go-ahead include the 拢25 million Bolton College of Medical Sciences Development in Farnworth, where Willmott Dixon recently started construction work (Project ID: 19128660).

Other college contracts where 果冻影院鈥檚 market research shows that a contract has recently been awarded include an 拢8.9 million extension to New College Durham, where Esh has started work after beating Kier and Robertson to the construction contract (Project ID: 21483159).

Government support

The pipeline of college work is being supported by the Government鈥檚拢1.5 billion Further Education Capital Transformation Fund, which was announced earlier this year.

As part of this scheme, 62 Sixth Form colleges in England are getting a share of a 拢400 million pot to upgrade their buildings and campuses.

These projects are starting to move through the construction cycle and 果冻影院鈥檚 construction industry research has identified college schemes in England worth a total of 拢337.5 million.

The region with the largest pipeline of college work is the North West, where projects valued at a total of 拢79m have been granted detailed planning permission in the last 12 months.

Approved work in the North West ranges from a 拢3 million extension of Cardinal Newman College in Preston (Project ID: 22288282) to a 拢12.5 million proposal to add three buildings to the campus of Burnley College (Project ID: 21244822). In Burnley, Identity Consult has been appointed as project manager but procurement has yet to start according to 果冻影院鈥檚 research.

Plans for more than 拢67 million of capital investment in colleges in the West Midlands have also been given detailed planning approval.

The biggest of these proposals is the 拢36 million plan to build a higher education facility on the site of the former Hippodrome in Dudley (Project ID: 20454955). Tenders have been returned and a decision on a contractor is imminent with construction work due to start before the end of this year.

Regional boost

Across Britain, college projects worth a total of 拢466 million have been granted planning permission in the 12 months to Q3 2022.

Underlying value of college projects with detailed planning (12 months to Q3 2022)

Sector	Value (拢m)
Scotland	90.0
North West	78.7
West Midlands	67.4
Yorkshire & Humberside	66.8
South East	63.7
Wales	38.3
North East	35.8
East of England	11.3
South West	7.7
London	6.3
Northern Ireland	0.3
East Midlands	0
TOTAL	466.1

Source: 果冻影院

The part of the UK with the largest pipeline of approved college schemes is Scotland, where construction has moved to site on the 拢90 million West Fife Campus of Fife College in Dunfermline (Project ID: 16169284).

There are also 拢38 million-worth of college schemes in Wales. This includes a 拢12.5m extension to Coleg Cambria in Wrexham (Project ID: 21021180). Rhyl-based Wynne Construction will build out this scheme, which has been designed by local architects TACP.

With government investment set to stimulate new developments, the pipeline in this sub-sector looks set to remain steady in the near future.

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