An 'exciting' new Nottingham College facility for more than 130 pupils has been given the green light. Nottingham College has been given planning permission to build a new specialist Centre for Employment and Independent Living building at its Basford campus, with it expected to provide for 136 students in the 2024/25 academic year.
The two-storey building will support the needs of Students with Learning Difficulties or Disabilities (SLDD) as part of a relocation from the existing Arthur Mee Centre in Stapleford. The new building will include flexible teaching rooms, computer suites, an art/multi purpose space, a teaching kitchen providing cooking skills, and a sensory room.
The college hopes this would address the "significant issues" with the condition of the existing Arthur Mee building while reducing operational costs. Staff from the existing Arthur Mee campus would be relocated, with 20 full time and 10 part time employees expected to make the move.
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Carl Ara, Head of Centre for Nottingham College’s Basford campus said: "Securing planning permission for this project means that we are on track to begin work onsite in early July, and will be able to complete works by next summer in time to open our doors to students for the new academic year starting in September 2024.
"The project is an exciting one for the college and our learners. Our centre for independent living and employability caters specifically for our students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and we’re excited about the bespoke facilities and resources we will be able to create for them.
"We’re also excited to be able to fully integrate our SLDD provision with the vast vocational offer already at our Basford site. This will open up new opportunities to our learners and ensure we can better align our SLDD provision with our broader offer."
Although the recently approved application only covers the proposed new Centre for Employment and Independent Living, as part of the wider masterplan, it is envisaged it could also be joined by a new Construction Skills Centre. Nottingham City Council approved the plan on April 25, saying it had "no objection" to the project, which it said was unlikely to have any negative effects on the area.
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