An ambitious project to develop a new state-of-the-art college campus in Greenwich is making exciting progress, thanks to the collaborative efforts of developer Kier, housing association L&Q and London South East Colleges.
With support from the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the GLA and the DfE, the partners are working to transform skills provision in Greenwich by creating an innovative and inspiring environment for teaching and learning. This is directly addressing the training needs of employers and learners.
The £47m development of the college campus is being led by Kier Construction, with contracts having been signed last week. The existing site is being transformed into a sustainable, cutting-edge building, with new facilities including wellbeing spaces, a Mac Studio and a training kitchen.
In addition, 294 high-quality new homes are being built on the site by L&Q, with 50% designated as affordable housing. This is a pioneering example of a hugely effective local partnership, working together to meet the diverse needs of the community – addressing educational and skills needs, alongside much needed housing.
Dr Sam Parrett CBE, Group Principal and CEO of London South East Colleges says:
“In 2016, we made a commitment to deliver a new college in Greenwich and I am delighted to have reached this important milestone today.
“This has been quite a journey, which has only been possible with the support and commitment of a wide range of stakeholders – including the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the GLA and the DfE.
“Together with our partners Kier and L&Q - this is a unique example of a highly effective local partnership, working together to meet the diverse needs of the community. It will provide future generations with the skills and opportunities they need to secure great careers, meeting the evolving needs of employers across the region.
“As an Anchor Institution within our community, we are committed to generating social value and transforming lives through the power of learning - and this project is a great reflection of this.
“We very much look forward to this project progressing and the value it will bring to the community now and for many years to come.”
David Rowsell, managing director at Kier Construction London, says:
“We are delighted that London South East Colleges has appointed us to help regenerate its Greenwich campus.
“This will be a new state-of-the-art facility, with a range of sustainability features included, which we are well-placed to deliver thanks to our Kier end-to-end capabilities, including in-house design, decarbonisation and MEP engineering expertise, and our extensive technical experience.
“We know how important this college is to the people of Greenwich and the local community, and we look forward to providing them with a brand-new campus building which will support learning for local students.”
With contracts now signed securing the final stages of the project, construction is progressing and the new campus is expected to open its doors to students in late 2025.
Vicky Savage, Executive Group Director, Development and Sales, at L&Q, said:
“We are proud of the progress on site in Greenwich, working closely with our partners at London South East Colleges, newly-appointed Kier, the GLA and with the support of the Royal Borough of Greenwich
“As we navigate unprecedented times for housing supply and affordability, these new 294 homes re-emphasize our commitment to tackling the housing crisis. Over half of these will be affordable and a large proportion designed specially for larger families, as we are looking to build genuinely mixed and successful communities.”