Kier has commenced construction work to deliver a major campus redevelopment for Buckinghamshire College Group in the heart of High Wycombe.
The new campus, which will cater for around 1,300 students, will comprise two new buildings of 6,900 sqm at Oxford Road and 1,650 sqm at Brook Street, which between them will offer specialist facilities including construction, engineering, health, science, inclusive learning, creative enterprises and technology studies. Additional features include a café, and digital learning spaces distributed across the seven stories of the Oxford Road building.
The new campus is being delivered as part of the College’s plans to consolidate and improve its estate in the south of the County of Buckinghamshire. This includes relocating its activities currently delivered at the Amersham and Flackwell Heath campuses to provide inclusive technical, professional and vocational skills and training in High Wycombe town centre. The project benefits from funding through the Department for Education FE Capital Transformation Fund.
Representatives from Buckinghamshire Council, Buckinghamshire College Group, the Department for Education, Pagabo, Peter Marsh Consulting and Kier marked the appointment with a groundbreaking ceremony.
Jenny Craig, CEO of Buckinghamshire College Group, said:
Today marks a hugely exciting milestone for Buckinghamshire College Group, our students, staff and the wider community. This new campus represents ambition, opportunity and investment in the future of Buckinghamshire. We are creating a modern learning environment that will inspire students, strengthen links with employers and provide the skills our region needs for years to come. We are proud to be building a campus that reflects the aspirations of our community and gives every learner the opportunity to succeed.
Emma Reynolds MP for Wycombe said:
It is fantastic to see construction officially begin on this transformational project for High Wycombe. Investing in education and skills is investing in the future of our communities, local businesses and young people. This new campus will provide outstanding facilities and opportunities for students across Buckinghamshire while helping to develop the skilled workforce our economy needs.
Further enhancing Kier’s reputation in the further education sector, the campus will offer high quality progression into employment, apprenticeships, further and higher education. The scheme supports the College’s ambition to provide the highest standard of learning spaces, facilities, resources and technology, in the locations where they are needed the most.
The existing two-storey commercial and residential buildings on Oxford Road have been demolished to make way for the first new building, a seven-storey education building offering English, Maths, Science and Arts spaces for students, while the second, a two-storey education workshop, will replace the existing commercial and residential buildings on Brook Street.
John Bolton, regional director for Kier Construction London and Thames Valley, adds:
We are really pleased to have signed the contract with Buckinghamshire College to relocate its existing provisions into an education hub in the heart of High Wycombe. We know how important the College is to the local community and we are well-placed to delivery this fantastic facility alongside our delivery partners at Buckinghamshire College Group, the Department for Education, Pagabo and Peter Marsh Consulting.
This the latest appointment for Kier via the Pagabo Major Works Framework and extends Kier’s growing portfolio as a leading provider of further and higher educational facilities across the UK. These include one of the first-ever Passivhaus double-basement schools, Mulberry Academy London Dock, the redevelopment of London South East Colleges Greenwich Campus and the recent opening of the new Pinn River School for pupils with complex additional needs.