Cardiff and Vale College (CAVC) has awarded a £119 million (€143 million) construction contract to Bouygues UK, the British arm of Bouygues Construction, to deliver two educational facilities in Glamorgan, South Wales.
The Barry Waterfront Campus and the Advanced Technology Centre will be developed under the Welsh Government’s Mutual Investment Model (MIM) and are set to open their doors to students in 2027.
The Barry Waterfront Campus (BWC), to be constructed on a brownfield site, will serve as a further education and vocational training hub for up to 900 students. It will offer a broad curriculum including art and design, personal care, hospitality and catering, and hairdressing and beauty therapy. As part of its innovative, hands-on approach, the campus will feature a fully operational health and beauty salon and a restaurant, both run by students and open to the local community.
The second facility, the Advanced Technology Centre (ATC), will be situated at Cardiff Airport and will focus on emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced design, rapid prototyping, electronics, and carbon-neutral technologies. It will cater to approximately 2,000 students and house state-of-the-art resources, including an advanced composites manufacturing lab, robotics and mechatronics labs, a higher education business centre, and a “green skills house” for training in renewable technologies.
Both sites are designed to meet stringent Welsh Government decarbonisation targets and will operate as carbon-neutral facilities. The project was designed by Sheppard Robson Architects.
In partnership with the Welsh Education Partnership Company, Bouygues UK has committed to delivering significant social value alongside construction. This includes a focus on promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) education and addressing skills shortages. Local contractors will be engaged throughout the build, and apprenticeship and training opportunities will be provided to boost employment and skills development in the region.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2025, with both projects expected to be completed by mid-2027.
Image credit: Sheppard Robson Architects
Construction News
04/06/2025
Bouygues UK Awarded £119m Contract


05/06/2025
Construction has officially begun at Towcester Park, a major new employment development by IM Properties (IMP), with Winvic Construction Ltd appointed as the main contractor for the project's initial phase.
The 1.1 million sq ft development is expected to generate up to 1,500 jobs once fully occupi

05/06/2025
Work has officially commenced on a £3.5 million expansion at Finham Park 2, which will bring new classrooms, enhanced sports facilities, and dedicated office space to the growing Coventry school.
Appointed by Coventry City Council, Deeley Construction is leading the project, which includes the cons

05/06/2025
Chichester District Council has formally approved plans by Countryside Properties, now part of the Vistry Group, for the development of 1,300 new homes and community facilities in Tangmere.
The planning decision notice marks a major milestone for the 'Tangmere Strategic Development Location Site',

05/06/2025
A senior government delegation, led by Investment Zone Minister Alex Norris MP, visited the University of Nottingham's under-construction Hydrogen Propulsion Systems Lab last week, marking a major milestone in the East Midlands' emergence as a hub for net zero innovation.
The hard hat tour brought

05/06/2025
A major regeneration scheme to transform a neglected part of Northampton town centre has taken a significant step forward, as West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) and ECF – a joint venture between Legal & General, Homes England, and Muse – have formally entered into a Development Agreement to deliver

05/06/2025
Unite Students has announced the exchange of contracts for the sale of a portfolio of nine properties to an affiliate of Lone Star Funds in a deal worth £212 million (Unite share: £140 million).
The portfolio includes 3,656 student beds located in Aberdeen, Leicester, Leeds, Nottingham, and Sheffie

05/06/2025
GMI Construction Group has celebrated a major milestone in the redevelopment of JATCO's UK facility at the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP), with a steel signing ceremony marking the completion of the building's structural framework.
The £4.9 million project, commissioned by Sunderl

05/06/2025
John Ford, Head of BIM and Digital Delivery at Galliford Try, has been recognised as one of Digital Construction Plus’s 2025 Digital Construction Power Players.
The accolade celebrates his significant impact on the industry through his leadership in Building Information Modelling (BIM) and develop

04/06/2025
Wates Construction has been awarded a £110.6 million contract to carry out major restoration and repair works on the historic Victoria Tower, one of the most recognisable elements of the Palace of Westminster.
Standing at the south-west corner of the Palace, the Grade I listed tower was completed i

04/06/2025
SSE has officially launched its plans for the Shepway Energy Park project, a major solar and battery development in Romney Marsh, Kent, which could generate enough carbon-free electricity to power approximately 73,000 homes.
The project is expected to save an average of 49,000 tonnes of CO₂ e