Nightingale Associates makes planning application for £62m Colchester Institute
16 March 2007
Nightingale Associates has made a planning application for the £62 million redevelopment of Colchester Institute, which will help the college provide state of the art purpose built Further Education and Higher Education facilities.
Providing 28,000sqm of new and refurbished accommodation, these developments will provide for up to 3000 staff and students at any one time.
The project will allow Colchester Institute to deliver “21st Century education and training” through “21st Century buildings”, to quote the Learning & Skills Council (the key planning body for Further Education). This will incorporate Centre of Vocational Excellence work in Hospitality & Food Studies and Construction, as well as a wide variety of vocational sectors ranging from Engineering to Health. A more employer-orientated and community-based facility should emerge.
The layout has been developed around the concept that the atrium or ‘street’ will provide the focus for activity. It will be the point at which students, staff and visitors will enter the College and will also provide a valuable, flexible large space which can be used for a large of events and displays.
The College do not currently have any large areas of green space apart from that provided by the formal landscaped area to the front of the existing main entrance, however upon completion of the redevelopment a large open space will be created to the southern part of the site. This will provide an invaluable resource to the college both in terms of social space and external teaching areas.
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