Refurbishment & Regeneration

ISG has secured a deal as main contractor for a regionally important £2 million Wakefield Council project to kick start the regeneration of the former South Kirkby Colliery site.

The contractor, in partnership with the council, will build a new vocational learning resource centre for 14-19 year olds on the brownfield land, significantly marking the first phase of development at the site, which will additionally include a 64-acre business park, a new waste management facility and a large area of green public open space.

The new, two-storey South East Learning Centre will house purpose-built training and educational facilities for students across sectors as diverse as construction and beauty therapy. The building will also feature an events room, community facilities, salon, workshops with a viewing gallery and a café area.

Minimising the impact of the new centre on the immediate environment is also a key consideration, and in addition to using high performance materials in its construction, the new building will also feature roof-mounted photo voltaic cells to generate emission-free electricity. The project includes significant hard and soft landscaping finishes, with ISG creating a new car park and external seating areas, with the scheme scheduled for completion in early 2011.

John Gittins, ISG's regional managing director, commented: "As part of the first phase of regeneration at the former South Kirkby Colliery site, the new South East Learning Centre will provide purpose-built teaching accommodation across a range of vocational courses.

“The development highlights Wakefield Council's commitment to enhancing regional 14-19 education provision, as well as its wider ambitions to redevelop the site and create new jobs by attracting businesses to the area, and also providing green public open space."

Cheryl Hobson, Wakefield Council’s service director for BSF and children’s commissioning, said: “This centre will make a real difference to the lives, education and aspirations of young people in the area. It is also important for the south east of the district as this forms part of wider regeneration of the area.”

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