GB Building Solutions has been awarded a £4.4 million contract to redevelop part of the Wakefield College city centre campus.

This scheme is phase one of a £15 million re-development and will see one of the existing blocks redeveloped to include a pedestrianised walkthrough, part of the council’s plan to have a traffic free zone connecting the college to the city centre. The new block will house a new library, teaching accommodation and enhanced social facilities.

Martin Smout, chairman and chief executive of GB Building Solutions, said: “The first phase of this exciting new development will provide students with the facilities to enhance their education and social skills, it will also add to GB's extensive experience in the education sector having provided over 21,000 pupil spaces in the last six years.”

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College Principal, Sam Wright said: “We are delighted and excited about starting this major redevelopment of our main city centre campus. This project will bring a modern, high-quality and vibrant learning facility to the heart of the city.”

Features in phase one will include disabled parking, a safe drop-off point, cafe terrace, seating areas, cycle stands, and landscaping with trees and planted areas. The new development will enable the college to deliver high-quality education to a wide range of learners including general FE learners, Sixth Form students, HE students and adults.

The contract was awarded through YORbuild, a construction framework aimed at the £1.2 billion per annum construction services spend of local authorities in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

(GK)