£3.6m funding brings Walsall College hub forward
Walsall College's planned business and sports hub, which will create around 250 jobs, is one step closer to becoming a reality after the project secured a £3.6 million grant.
The Skills Funding Agency has backed the £11m scheme which is planned for vacant land next to the college's existing Wisemore Campus.
A letter from the SFA was received by bosses at the college to confirm its successful funding application which was put forward in September.
The college has agreed to buy the land for the new build from Walsall Council and the three-storey hub will include a business incubation centre and sports hall with badminton courts to Sport England standards.
There will also be dance and fitness studios, a sports training and injury clinic, spa facilities, a fine dining restaurant and car park.
It will have a glass roof, modern furniture and open spaces.
Bosses at the college hope the business incubation centre will help facilitate growth in the local economy and boost employment opportunities and that it will provide a hub for corporate events and give employers an opportunity to network. A planning application has been submitted to the local authority.
Work is planned to start this summer and be completed by summer next year.
Deb Rajania, director of operations and resources at Walsall College, said: "The Walsall business and sports hub is the next phase of our learning campus development and we are delighted that the Skills Funding Agency and Walsall Council are supporting our vision to increase participation in sport and wealth creation for our students and wider Walsall community.
"The college was rated as outstanding by Ofsted in February 2013 and we are committed to going beyond outstanding by continuing to support the regeneration of Walsall with the development of employability and enterprise skills."
Walsall's regeneration chief, Councillor Adrian Andrew has congratulated the college for securing the funding and working with partners.
He added: "It shows we're continually supporting businesses to create jobs and opportunities for local people.
"Whilst the project is still subject to planning consent, this will hopefully be another piece of the jigsaw in the regeneration of the town, providing facilities that will benefit present and future generations."
