Wolverhampton college’s £8.1m technical centre plan for Bilston is approved
Revised plans for a new £8.1 million technical centre at the City of Wolverhampton College’s Bilston campus have been given the go-ahead.
Proposals to build the two-storey Advanced Engineering and Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence at the college’s Wellington Road site were initially sent to the council in August 2020, with work now due to begin in the summer.
Once completed, the facility will create hundreds of jobs for the local economy and a unique chance for thousands of students to specialise in the mechanics and engineering of electric vehicles (EV).
The development forms part of the first phase of the council’s City Learning Quarter masterplan, launched after it successfully secured £7.7million funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the remainder from the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
Deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for city economy, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “Never has it been so important to give our residents access to critical skills training so they can secure the jobs available in our region.
“This is another important step towards our vision of a City Learning Quarter. These plans will transform the learning environment for our students and residents. It will also offer opportunities to access a new high-end workforce within our city – especially in Bilston.
“We are working hard with the college to ensure we not only deliver a vibrant education hub where we improve the city’s learning, apprenticeship and employment offers, but also that we retain our best talent, rather than losing people to different parts of the region.
“The new facilities at Bilston and in the city centre are all part of the wider investment across the city and I have every confidence that when our plans become a reality, we will be creating an environment where everyone can flourish,” he added.
In a statement to the council, Jonathan Astley from developers Astley Partnership said: “Given that construction and sports – which need bespoke large spaces rather than standard classrooms – are already delivered at the Bilston site, and that engineering and motor vehicle studies aren’t suited to the city centre, it was decided to relocate these departments under one roof at the Wellington Road campus.
“The main Campus will be at Metro One in the city centre which, when linked with the library and the adult education centre, will become the learning quarter centred around Old Hall Street and St George’s Parade.
“Our proposed site plan has been changed to take account of the rail track training area requirements, along with amendments to the compound area and arrangements for parking. There are also some internal changes to the proposed centre and we’ve reduced the width of the access road,” he added.
Adjustments to the centre’s car parking provision, compound, gates, fencing and landscaping have also been made in the revised plans.
It is estimated that the centre will be responsible for almost 5,500 learners and 954 apprenticeships in its first ten years.
