Plans for a new building at Bournemouth and Poole College’s Lansdowne Campus were met with positive responses at a public exhibition.
The plans, subject to approval by BCP Council, will demolish some of the older buildings on site and construct a new building housing new facilities including a restaurant, a hair and beauty salon and a gym.
The college has received funds for the project from the Department for Education Further Education Transformation Fund.
Speaking at an event last Thursday, principal at the College, Phil Sayles, said that the project is an “amazing opportunity” for the college and for Bournemouth.
“We do some brilliant things on this campus but we do them in quite old buildings,” he said.
“We’ve had some excellent investment from the Department of Education, to sweep away some of those old buildings, keeping the best old buildings that we’ve got, what’s listed and what is amazing, and building a brand-new building which will really transform education on campus for the college, for the community, for the next 50 to 70 years.”
Peter Radley-Martin, from contractors Kier, said that should construction begin soon, subject to planning approval, the space will be ready for use in December 2025.
“If planning all goes well, we will start the demolition and the work this summer,” he said.
Throughout the design process, care was taken to ensure the building is sympathetic to the area and current college buildings, including the listed buildings on the campus.
Associate at Noviun Architects Mike Terry said: “We’ve drawn inspiration from the buildings around, there are quite a few arches."
The designs incorporate new green spaces, which will create a new ‘heart’ of the campus.
The response from members of the public at the exhibition was positive, with local resident Tim Byham saying that he likes the designs, particularly the addition of the new green spaces.
“The area needs to be developed, and I think this is great to have more green space around here. The buildings currently look a bit run down, especially near the car park and I think it will be great for the area, and for potential students,” he said.
Thomas Byron, an architecture student at Arts University Bournemouth, said that the designs will bring a lot of life to the area.
“I love the designs that they’ve got. The brick work looks really interesting, and it definitely fits in with the surrounding area,” he said.
Robert Halfon, Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, said:
“We are transforming colleges like Bournemouth and Poole’s Lansdowne campus, creating world-class facilities to promote the skills of the future through our FE Capital Transformation Fund.
“Every student deserves access to high-quality education and training so they can climb the ladder of opportunity to gain the skills needed for a fulfilling and successful career, whilst helping the economy thrive.”
Plans for the building will be submitted to the council "soon".
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