A LEADING college is embarking on its biggest redevelopment since moving to a new campus 11 years ago.

New College Durham is investing £5 million in a new higher education centre, advanced manufacturing centre, creative and digital suite, upgraded library and improved gas and plumbing workshop for its Framwellgate Moor campus, on the outskirts of Durham City.

Funding and permissions are in place and the work should be finished by the summer.

Principal and chief executive John Widdowson said: “We are delighted to be able to announce our new £5 million investment plan that will set a new standard for vocational education in the region.

“Our ambitious re-development offers exceptional facilities, which will exceed students’ expectations and will help raise education and skills levels in the local economy.”

In the higher education centre, traditional lecture spaces will be replaced with new learning facilities. There will be a new dedicated IT room and informal and online working spaces.

The advanced manufacturing centre will focus on computer-aided design skills and will have a pneumatics and hydraulics area. It will be viewable from various areas within the college via a glazed wall.

The creative and digital suite will comprise a television and radio studio with industry-standard facilities and spaces for small businesses.

The existing library will be modernised with new IT facilities and the gas and plumbing workshop will be expanded with a new gas testing centre and open plan workshop space.

Mr Widdowson said the investment reflected the needs of students and the business community and the priorities of the North-East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Most of the work involves reusing existing buildings. The money will come from the college’s own funds.

New College Durham moved from Neville’s Cross to Framwellgate Moor in 2005. It currently has up to 9,000 students, studying further education courses, higher education courses, apprenticeships and more.

In 2014 it was named the best college in the North-East and second best in England by the Skills Funding Agency and also awarded its own degrees for the first time, becoming one of the few colleges permitted to do so.

The college will remain fully open throughout the redevelopment, which has been months in the planning. For further details, visit newcollegedurham.ac.uk