Wiltshire College & University Centre is embarking on phase two of the redevelopment of its Salisbury Campus which includes the demolition of the existing central building and the construction of a new three-storey campus building. The new building will comprise, science and engineering labs, construction workshops, a TV studio, canteen facilities and conferencing space and will provide a welcoming modern entrance to the existing buildings.
 
Phase one of the redevelopment project has been completed and has seen the existing buildings re-clad and refurbished during the last six months. This project is part of over £24m of investment secured through the Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) to increase Further and Higher Education provision at the College on its Salisbury and Lackham sites.
 
John Mortimer, Chairman of the Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said:
 
“Enabling businesses to have an appropriately skilled and competitive workforce to support growth, innovation and creativity remains an investment priority for the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership. We have committed to providing better Further and Higher Education provision by 2021 and I am delighted to see this project progressing well and on track to be completed by 2020.”
 
Additional to the work at the Salisbury Campus, over £9 million is also being invested at The College’s Lackham Campus to build a new Agricultural Technology Centre, the development of a higher education centre, and the installation of a state of the art milking parlour. The redevelopment work on both campuses will be completed by 2020.
 
Amanda Burnside, Principal at Wiltshire College & University Centre, said:
 
“It’s great that we can now see the transformation of the campus taking place and we’re looking forward to the next stage and to seeing the new building take shape.  
 
“The developments will play an important part in addressing some of the higher-level skills gaps in Swindon and Wiltshire and particularly in the Salisbury area. 
 
“The project will enable the launch of a number of new courses including foundation degrees in the life sciences as well as higher level courses and apprenticeships in advanced engineering.”
 
This investment was made possible through the SWLEP’s Growth Deal with Central Government – this has funded a variety of projects across Swindon and Wiltshire through SWLEP competitively bidding for £169m from the Government’s Local Growth Fund, also leveraging a further £354 million of match funding from the private and public sector.
 
As well as the investment in Wiltshire College, the SWLEP has also supported a £17 million bid for an Institute of Technology which is one of 16 across the country to reach the final round. The lead partner is Swindon College, working with other colleges, universities and employers. Work is also underway on a multi-campus business led university which was identified as a priority in our recently published Higher Education Strategy. 
 
Local Growth Minister, Jake Berry MP, said:
 
“We’re committed to boosting economic growth across the whole of the UK and building a Britain fit for the future. It is wonderful to see this project get underway. The £14m investment from the Local Growth Fund to develop Wiltshire College’s campuses at Salisbury and Lackham will benefit the whole of Swindon and Wiltshire by enabling students to develop the skills needed for high-value jobs in these state-of-the art facilities.”