£15.6m Sheffield College builds to welcome students in September

Two new buildings at The Sheffield College, worth £15.6m, have been weather proofed and are set to open to students in time for the next academic year.

The £6.8m Centre for Technology, Engineering and Design and £8.8m Centre for Creative Industries will be handed over to the college in September.

Both buildings, which boast views over the Sheffield skyline, have been made weatherproof with cladding, stairwells and plastering completed.

At the three-storey Centre for Technology, Engineering and Design, on Olive Grove Road, contractors Clugston Construction are constructing an atrium to link the new building to existing workshops. The atrium will become a communal break-out area for students.

In addition, a steel sail design feature on the side of the building has been installed and two banks of solar panels have been fitted on the roof.

At the three-storey Centre for Creative Industries, Livesey Street, a new performance theatre, including the platform for stage lighting, and a high level, steel framed and steel wire strung floor, have just been completed.

Heather Smith, Principal, The Sheffield College, said: “It’s very exciting to see our two new buildings take their place on the city skyline. These developments are part of our guarantee to boost students’ career prospects, and support economic growth. Students will learn in the latest industry standard facilities and train in the skills that employers need.”

Nick Todd, business manager, Clugston Construction, added: “Work is progressing well on both schemes as we come into the last phase of the project before handover in September. This is an extremely busy time for us with coordination of many different finishing trades all working within the same areas. Both facilities are looking exceptional, and we are confident that staff and students will be extremely pleased with their new buildings.”

Opening to students this September, the Centre for Technology, Engineering and Design will comprise a teaching block and workshops with £450k of new equipment for electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, motor vehicle, plumbing, heating and ventilation, and sustainable construction.

The Centre for Creative Industries will feature a new theatre, and drama, dance, television, photography and radio studios and £450k of new equipment.

These multi-million pound upgrades are part of wider plan to launch new courses that are linked to areas of growth for the regional economy, building on more input from employers. Both projects have received a total of £10m capital funding from the Skills Funding Agency - money specifically ring-fenced for building projects - approved in October 2013.

The facilities are being built by Clugston Construction and have been designed by Race Cottam Architects.