RELATIONS between industry and students have been bolstered at a North Yorkshire college with the opening of its new £2.4m agriculture and engineering hub.

Providing an innovative centre for students as well as a training resource and link with industry, the new Lance Gilling Building lies at the heart of Askham Bryan College’s York campus and was developed in conjunction with the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership.

The centre is also home to the Agriculture and Horticulture Training Board and the Rural Business Research Unit, and is already used as a training centre by Trimble, a leading provider of advanced location equipment.

Within the college the Lance Gilling Building will be the focus of the practical studies by the 300 or so students studying agriculture and land-based engineering, and features a suite of lecture rooms, farm information room, offices and a 900 square metre double height work shop with specialist equipment.

At the opening ceremony campus principal Tim Whitaker spoke of the college’s commitment to investing in the rapidly changing landscape of agriculture and said: “It is vital for us to ensure our students graduate with a deep understanding and all the technical competencies needed in precision agriculture and on the connected farm.”