More details as Walsall College submits plans to build new electric vehicle teaching centre

The college has submitted a planning application for the new building and vehicle storage yard at its Wisemore Campus.

The facility will be home to new ideas about sustainable electric innovation and be open to local electric vehicle owners.

In a design statement PHD Architects said: "The purpose of the proposal is highly sustainable in principle, to be a teaching facility for vital up and coming sustainable technologies, as well as acting as public facing electric vehicle workshop, that the local community could benefit from as the roll out of electric vehicles develops further.

"The proposal will include numerous qualities including the provision for the installation of roof mounted photovoltaic cells to the roof space, to be used to help power the building.

"Energy-efficient installations throughout – this includes high-efficiency lighting, space and water heating, as well as intelligent controls for all such systems to manage and minimise energy usage and energy loss throughout the building’s lifecycle."

The statement says there will be "multiple charging spaces externally for electric vehicles, with the infrastructure in place for the occupier to increase the amount of electric vehicle spaces easily".

It adds: "High-specification materials are to be selected for the building envelope, so that high performance air-tightness is achieved, thereby ensuring minimal energy loss through the building fabric and further reducing the carbon footprint.

"The main development of the teaching and vehicle workshop facility is proposed upon currently vacant land, which was previously used for HGV trailer storage."

The application also includes improvements to the campus by creating new amenity areas, and pedestrian links between the Wisemore Campus and the existing Digital Engineering Skills Centre.

The architects say they thought deeply about the new centre's relationship with other buildings within the campus.

The statement added: "The building is designed so that the more attractive elevations to the entrance and teaching spaces are visible from the main campus car park, whilst also facing the neighbouring listed building. The more standard elevations are ‘landlocked’ with little to no visibility from off site.

"The proposed building has been positioned to be parallel to the Western boundary and is located so that the service yard is within the widest part of the site."

A consultation is currently ongoing about the new centre, anyone who wants to comment should visit planning.walsall.gov.uk using the application number 23/0811.