Blackburn College 'masterplan' back on track

Bosses at the college have been forced to scale down the third phase of a £48million revamp after the Learning Skills Council pulled the plug on funding last year.

The college said it remained committed to delivering its ‘Masterplan’, first revealed in 2005, and was raising money through the banks to ensure it went ahead.

Blackburn College reviewed the five-phase project after the funding blow and, although scaled down, the building will still provide teaching spaces, a learning resource centre, student services and learner support.

The new Core Building will be approximately 8,200m2 – down from 14,000m2 and will be located between St Paul’s Street and Nab Lane and is estimated to cost between £13million and £16million.

Phases four and five, which will mainly be refurbishments, will take place once the Core Building has been completed.

The whole masterplan will be completed by summer 2012.

The scheme will cost of a minimum of £32million, but less than the orignial £48million.

It has not yet been revealed exactly how it will be scaled down.

College’s director of finance Jane McCann said: “Blackburn College launched its masterplan to create a ‘world-class campus’ in 2005.

Phase one, the £7million St Paul’s Centre was opened in 2007 and phase two, £14million University Centre at Blackburn College officially opened last year.

“However, due to the Learning and Skills Council capital crisis and funding cuts in 2009, the college has had to revisit the original plan and develop a new masterplan which the College can fund itself by raising money from the banks.

“Work on phase three the new Core Building will begin in September providing planning permission is granted in August.

“We estimate that work on phases three and four, to demolish the Feilden Street building, create a new car park and landscaping as well as some refurbishment of the existing art and design and Victoria buildings will be completed by Summer 2012.”