Willmott Dixon Becoming Education Powerhouse

Willmott Dixon is strengthening Manchester’s presence as an education powerhouse thanks to its appointment by the LTE Group’s to a £54 million contract to build phase one of The Manchester College’s ambitious estates strategy.

This first phase will provide a learning centre of excellence for the creative and digital industries across the Greater Manchester area.

The new, visionary four-storey development is on the site of the former Boddingtons brewery at the corner of New Bridge Street and Great Ducie Street, opposite Manchester Arena. It will be home to two cutting-edge, industry-standard theatres, film studios, media, computing and editing suites. Along with this, there will also be recording and photography studios, dance studios and rehearsal rooms, as well as bespoke practical spaces for hospitality, media make-up and special effects.

This new facility for The Manchester College’s further education provision and UCEN Manchester’s higher education courses is designed by Bond Bryan and SimpsonHaugh architects, with the aim of creating an individual identity for the college. Work is set to complete in time for the first students to walk through the doors in September 2022.

It will represent one of the largest investments in further education and skills in the region for more than 30 years.

John Thornhill, Chief Executive at LTE Group said:

“We are delighted to appoint Willmott Dixon to deliver this ambitious build strategy, which is the catalyst for growth in education and skills across Greater Manchester. It comes at a time of economic and employment uncertainty and will underpin the development of the region’s thriving media, creative and digital industries and will stimulate job creation and new company start-ups across the North West.”

Anthony Dillon, Managing Director for Willmott Dixon in the north said:

“This new college campus is a real statement of intent by Manchester that it’s one of the UK’s foremost centres of learning for industries that will help shape a dynamic future economy for the UK. The UK is a world leader for creative and digital technology and this college will ensure it stays that way for many generations to come.”

If you would like to read more like this, then please click here