Design plans for £7.9m technical college on show
RESIDENTS living next to the proposed £7.9million Plymouth University Technical College have viewed plans and are said to be pleased the dilapidated site will be transformed.
People living in Pym Street, next to the former Parkside School site, in Devonport, attended a session to view proposals.
UTC project leader Brian Warren said they were relieved the land is not earmarked for a high-rise development, and had questions about parking provision answered.
But there were no visitors to the session, held at the site, from the neighbouring Latitude 52 apartment block – despite 200 invite letters being delivered to residents.
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Mr Warren said his "perception" was that people living in the block, once the Agnes Weston's sailors rest home, were pleased the disused site was earmarked for development.
"If there is money going into that site it adds money to their property," Mr Warren said.
The proposed UTC, due to open in September 2013, is a new kind of school concept developed by the Government. It will specialise in marine engineering and advanced manufacturing for students aged from 14 to 19, and work closely with Plymouth companies in a bid to fill skills gaps and provide the workers Britain and Plymouth needs.
Mr Warren said the consultation had been "a good session".
It came on the same day Plymouth City Council's Cabinet formally approved BAM Construction as the contractor tasked with building the UTC on the former Parkside School site. Building works were also added to the council's Capital Programme.
The UTC is backed by Plymouth University, City College Plymouth and Plymouth City Council – its main sponsors. Employer sponsors are led by Babcock Marine and include Princess Yachts International, Plymouth Manufacturers Group, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and Plymouth Federation of Small Businesses.
BAM has submitted a formal "invitation to tender" which outlined the refurbishment and building work that can be achieved within the £7.9million budget set by the Education Funding Agency.
The council is contributing the equivalent of £1.3million towards the UTC by offering a 125 year lease on the former Parkside School land.
A report to Cabinet said the UTC will have short-term benefits for the economy, with an estimated 80 per cent of the building contract being retained in the city. It will also have long-term benefits, potentially attracting students from outside Plymouth.
Council leader Cllr Tudor Evans said: "This is an exciting opportunity to develop a specialist college that enables young people to gain highly sought after qualifications and experience, making them very employable, and for the city to develop its skilled workforce in our priority growth area of marine engineering and advanced manufacturing."
Cllr Nicky Williams, Cabinet member for children and young people, said: "This is an opportunity for investment in education facilities needed to meet the rise in demand for secondary school places due in 2015."
The UTC's website has now been launched at www.utcplymouth.org
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