350 students to benefit STEM centre plan at Blar
Hundreds of students in Lochaber will benefit from a new science and technology centre on Blar Mhor, which is set to open in two years.
The £14million University of Highlands and Islands (UHI) development will see a new science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education centre built on the 2.5-acre former Tesco supermarket site, adjacent to the planned new Belford NHS hospital.
Developers hope to have the site completed and open by September 2020.
Matt Simpkinson, director of finance at UHI West Highland College, told Kilmallie community councillors this week that the new centre will accommodate 350 students, with up to 20 or 30 coming from outwith the area. The centre will also be used to teach Lochaber primary and secondary school pupils STEM subjects.
Mr Simpkinson explained that the new centre is being built to complement the college’s current operation at An Aird, which is currently unable to meet the demand locally for engineering, construction and technology education.
He said: ‘The project started in response to a very basic need that we want to be able to meet, as a college that is, the needs of students coming out of school and on to employers.’
Mr Simpkinson explained that although big companies in the area may be able to fully support their apprenticeships, smaller employers can’t afford to do so and therefore the new centre will provide them with the necessary support. He also said that the number of developments in the pipeline in Fort William, such as the new Liberty factory, meant there was more ‘political intent’ for a new STEM centre to be built in the area.
Concerns were raised at the meeting about the potential increased pressure on student accommodation and public transport, and the need for more ‘civic space’ in the wider Blar Mhor development.
Mr Simpkinson pointed out that the current design of the building and layout is not yet