Willmott Dixon has won a £7 million contract to build a new college campus in Rotherham.

The University Centre Rotherham (UCR) will be developed for RNN Group on Doncaster Gate in the town centre.

The facility will provide additional education and training opportunities by offering a dedicated facility for university students with specialist teaching, study and exhibition spaces, a library, café and social areas.

Building work will begin this summer and completion is scheduled for autumn 2018.

John Connolly, the chief executive of the RNN Group, which is the parent organisation for Rotherham College and the UCR, said: "We are delighted to have taken a big step forward in delivering this fantastic project, which will offer so much to our region's students and employers. We are also pleased to be working with Willmott Dixon, as a contractor and employer with a clear commitment to sustainability and community engagement. Building work will begin over the summer and we remain on track for completion in autumn 2018.

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Willmott Dixon's director for Yorkshire, Andrew Hurcomb said: "As a local company based in Yorkshire with a strong track record of work in Rotherham, which includes the role of our sister company Fortem maintaining homes in the town, we are proud to have been appointed by the RNN Group to take forward its plans to create University Centre Rotherham.

"It will provide important skills that will benefit the local economy for years to come and we'll also build strong links with the university centre to encourage many of its students to choose a career in construction. Also, during the project, we will work closely with local companies in and around Rotherham to ensure as many as possible are involved with the building work."

(LM)