College moving ahead with Coleraine new-build project

The project, which is being funded by the Department for the Economy, aims to provide new buildings for the 2021/22 academic year.

Once the design team is appointed, the scheme will be advanced with the development of proposals for the site, working to industry guidelines to ensure the design fits with its setting in Coleraine, where the new building will integrate on an expanded site with the town centre.

The College’s Campus 21 project team, which is leading the £35m development, has been engaging in a study of exemplar designs.

Mel Higgins, chief operating officer, commented: “We are excited to be out of the starting blocks after months of preparation and to get to this stage.”

“We have been very encouraged by what we have seen in best practice in this type of project and, most importantly, the impact a building and facilities can have on student experience and outcomes.

“We have taken away lessons from exemplar projects and will continue to build on expertise gained in preparation for our design team being appointed.”

The college added it will continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the process to ensure ongoing dialogue and to optimise the investment for the wider community.

Northern Regional College told the Coleraine Times in February its proposed new £35 million campus would be “a landmark building” for the town.