Kendal College plans for town centre campus

Kendal College is in the final stages of negotiations to acquire the upper floor of Westmorland Shopping Centre. The college is planning to open a new town centre campus to accommodate “significant growth” in student numbers. It hopes to begin delivering classes from September on the upper floor of the shopping centre. The college is working with Praxis Real Estate Management on the reconfiguration plans. An application for change of use from retail to education has been submitted to South Lakeland District Council. Under the scheme, the upper mall will become a third campus for up to 400 students, with a lecture theatre, science labs, IT and media spaces, and conference rooms. A large, open-plan atrium would support the college’s existing relationships with community projects, festivals and events.If the development goes ahead, shops and stores will be consolidated on the lower floor. The existing lower mall stores, the Indoor Market Hall and car parking, will be unaffected.Student numbers have grown substantially over recent years, and the college’s campuses at Milnthorpe Road and Beezon Road are at capacity. The college hopes to occupy the Westmorland Shopping Centre in phases, with some classes delivered there from September this year, and full occupation of the upper levels as a standalone college campus from late 2022.