Esh Construction has announced the successful completion of a new £1.7 million 'Construction Centre of Excellence' at Promotion House in Langley Moor.

The North of England contractor has transformed an existing factory unit into a new learning space to create a specialised teaching facility for New College Durham's trade subjects.

The refurbishment has seen the building remodelled to create teaching rooms, breakout areas, changing facilities and a practical area for teaching. A mezzanine level has been created above the teaching space which houses the mechanical plant for the facility.

Grant Watson, Construction Manager for Esh, said: "The Promotion House refurbishment has served to strengthen our relationship with New College Durham. We are proud to play our part in providing new learning environments for the next generation of construction workers and we are confident that the trade-specific elements the new facility brings will inspire young people to explore a range of key career pathways."

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The works involved a complete strip of the existing cladding to the walls and roof with extensive fireproofing works undertaken alongside the installation of new composite cladding to both walls and roof. Structural repairs were undertaken to some damaged steel work and new openings were formed to create new fire escape routes.

The new Construction Centre of Excellence will be used to accommodate the growth in construction trades as the college reopens its doors this month for the 2024-25 academic year. The building has been designed and built to provide options for further development in the future.

Andy Broadbent, Principal and CEO of New College Durham, commented: "It has been a privilege to work alongside Bowburn-based Esh Construction on this project, it has once again shown that there is no lack of skills in our region when it comes to planning and construction.

"One of our fundamental aims here at New College Durham is to provide learners with the valuable skills and experience that local employers are asking for. This latest development comes as part of our continued investment into providing the best facilities possible to allow our students to thrive."

As part of Esh's Constructing Local strategy, 99% of the workforce employed on the project were from the North East, while Building My Skills, Digital Ambassadors and Construction in the Curriculum employability sessions have been delivered to schools across County Durham, engaging more than 1,400 students.

The Promotion House scheme follows Esh's successful completion of New College Durham's collaborative and integrated learning space, T.H.E Hub (Technical and Higher Education Hub) in September 2023. The £8.9 million state-of-the-art education facility is based at the college's Framwellgate Moor site and features 23 new teaching spaces, including an immersive suite, early years foundation nursery and multiple sector-specific arenas.