£24m plan for college approved by council
PLANS to plough £24m into transforming Stockport College have been approved by town hall bosses.
The proposals will see the outdated campus on Wellington Road completely revamped in a bid to improve its appearance.
Meanwhile, the Vernon Centre on Royal George Street will be partially demolished to make way for a car park.
A new building called ‘The Street’ will sit along the A6, linking the site.
Planning documents read: “The town centre campus urgently requires investment and improvement to bring teaching facilities up to modern standards.
“Following the merger with Trafford College, plans have been developed to regenerate the main campus to provide better, more modern teaching facilities.”
The college also says it wants to achieve a ‘vast’ improvement on its previous ‘inadequate’ Ofsted rating.
Plans also include a new covered pedestrian access that will stretch across the ‘heart’ of the campus, connecting the reception to workshops and the Lyme Centre.
The eight-storey centre currently houses various ’outdated’ classrooms and a canteen – that present a ‘poor image’ of the campus, say college bosses.
However, refurbishment projects are planned for the centre’s performing arts building, while the dining hall will be relocated to the Lyme Tower.
Meanwhile, the Bakewell Centre and the Whitworth Centre will remain – and proposals to redevelop the Grade II listed Greek Street centre still need to be developed.
Additional landscaping, public realm and courtyards also form part of the application.