New Build News
After the design and Plans for phase three of our “Building Our Future” campus redevelopment were approved by Calderdale Council and the College's Governing Body, work started in September 2012. The plans include a Sustainable and Environmental Technologies Centre connected to the Inspire Centre, plus the construction of a new brickworks building at the rear of PWC. Refurbishments will be carried out to parts of the ground floor of Percival Whitley Centre and the Creative and Conservation Skills Centre to relocate Painting and Decorating and accommodate hospitality and catering for 2013-14. Princess Mary Centre will be demolished to make way for a replacement grass pitch for training and competitive football and rugby league matches.
The College retained the services of award-winning architects Jefferson Sheard to design the new buildings. They have designed a similar technology building at Barnsley College.
The Sustainable and Environmental Technologies Centre is intended to provide specialist learning resources for low-carbon technologies, such as photovoltaics, solar thermal, wind, biofuels, heat pumps and water recycling, to be co-located with the College’s existing curriculum provision of plumbing, electrical installation and electro-technical technology.
The new Brick Workshops at the rear of PWC are expected to be completed by April 2013 and the SET Centre by June 2013. The groundfloor conversion works for the Painting and Decorating will be completed during August 2013 and the Catering and Hospitality area will be completed by October 2013 and demolition of the existing brickworks area by November 2013.
Following an extensive and thorough tender process, Calderdale College appointed Wildgoose Construction Ltd as the main contractor for this project. Wildgoose are a long-established family-run construction company with a proven track record of working with schools and colleges and other public and private sector developments. They have committed to providing training opportunities for staff and learners and to support the economy of Calderdale by using local labour and suppliers wherever possible. To start this, they hosted a “Meet the Buyer” day in College on 5th September when 60 local contractors visited.
Wildgoose started on site on 10th September by forming a site compound in the disused car park next to Francis Street and erected hoardings around the Princess Mary Centre site prior to demolition. They have also widened the entrance to car park 2 next to PWC car park to allow access for construction traffic and delivery vehicles.
Here are some architects impressions of the new Sustainable & Environmental Technologies Centre, to be linked to the Inspire Centre on both floors, and the new Brick Workshops.