Fully funded by the Department for the Economy, the new campuses form part of a £85 million capital investment to provide two new campuses for the College. Both will be key drivers in the delivery of the Department’s 10X and Skills Strategies. The new Coleraine facility will consolidate all service delivery including that currently at Ballymoney onto the former campus site. The provision of the new Ballymena campus will also consolidate the College’s service delivery from three buildings into one.
The new Coleraine campus will open in time for the start of the 2024-25 academic year, with Farm Lodge Ballymena scheduled to open at the same time the following year. Both campuses will have state-of-the-art facilities, creating an accessible to all, world class learning environment for the benefit of students and staff, as well as local communities.
Sean Laverty, Chief Operating Officer at Northern Regional College, said:
“This transformational project will play an integral part in the future sustainability of the College, enhancing our local economy through collaboration and a quality learning environment.
“The project delivery team across the College has implemented a series of innovative solutions as well as engaging with a wide range of stakeholders for excellent outcomes.
“Implementing creative methods to overcome issues impacting on delivery in today’s climate, supported by use of digital tools for improved project communications and engagement, has ensured continued progress on the project’s objectives and benefits.”
Over 300 construction jobs will be sustained during the building phase of the two campuses. Along with these full-time jobs, over 2,000 weeks of employment and training will be provided through traineeships, apprenticeships and Higher-Level Apprenticeships (HLAs) across a range of construction related trades as part of normal Government Social clause requirements.