A COLLEGE in the area has celebrated the opening of a new facility.

Gloucestershire College opened its new sustainable construction centre at its Cheltenham Campus on Thursday, September 26.

The centre marks the first opportunity for all of the education-provider’s construction subjects to be taught at the Cheltenham Campus.

The facility expands provision in Cheltenham with additional training in electrical, plumbing and carpentry.

These subjects are offered alongside courses in construction multiskills, property maintenance, groundworks, design, surveying and planning and construction and the built environment.

Courses span diplomas, T Levels and university-level qualifications, as well as apprenticeships for employers to train and upskill staff.

With sustainability now a key focus for Gloucestershire College, students will also be taught sustainable approaches to construction.

They will learn about areas like smart technologies, renewable energy systems, eco-friendly construction techniques and waste minimisation, as well as water conservation techniques, sustainable design and environmental regulations.

The centre has been designed and built with sustainability in mind.

Following on from the college’s carbon-zero GC Zero project, the new building has adopted air source heat pump technology for hot water and workshop heating systems, along with air-conditioning systems to provide heat and cooling to classrooms.

The building also has high insulation levels, while electricity comes from the campus solar-generation and battery storage facilities.

In bringing the project to life, Gloucestershire College worked with a team of partners including Beard Construction, Roberts Limbrick, Ward Williams Associates, Simpson Associates and Helios.

The education-provider was additionally supported in a bid for Department for Education funding by Cheltenham Borough Council, who helped the college secure £4 million.

The college funded the rest of the £5 million build.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Matthew Burgess, principal and chief executive of Gloucestershire College, said: “Even before this centre opened, we were the largest provider of construction training in the county by a country mile.

“It is the single-largest occupational area in the college - and we cover a lot of areas.

“As well as addressing skills needs, part of our mission is also social mobility.

“Cheltenham Campus is deliberately placed in an area of regeneration.

“Our learners can’t always travel, so we want to create opportunities for them.

“We’re proud of this facility, but ultimately, it isn’t about me or the college.

“This is a facility for our community - the residents of Cheltenham, the businesses of Cheltenham and the whole county - to benefit from.”