Local MP breaks ground for new £9.3 million university centre

Press release issued: 20 September 2010



Cllr Sue Livings, Robert Halfon MP, Harlow College Principal Colin Hindmarch and Mike Thorne

l to r: Cllr Sue Livings, Robert Halfon MP, Harlow College Principal Colin Hindmarch and Mike Thorne in the cab

Harlow College and Anglia Ruskin University welcomed VIP guests onto the college's campus on Friday 17 September to witness the ceremonial ground breaking in preparation for a brand new state-of-the-art higher education building.

Local contractors Huttons, who have been awarded the contact, were also on hand at the Velizy Avenue campus to assist visitors and to continue work on the new £9.3 million University Centre Harlow, an initiative in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University.

Thirty invited guests joined the Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University, Professor Michael Thorne, Cllr Sue Livings, Robert Halfon MP and Harlow College Principal Colin Hindmarch to help celebrate the event.

The aim of the project is to create a world-class university centre for Harlow, delivering degree level courses for the town's community.

The building will consist of the construction of a single, three storey new building on an existing car park.

On its completion, Harlow College's higher education provision, including its famous Journalism department will move into the new state-of-the-art accommodation.

AD Architects, specialists in educational buildings, have designed University Centre Harlow, this will be their sixth project on the campus. The architects are striving for a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) rating of 'excellent' and have incorporated natural ventilation and energy saving lighting into the build.

AD Architects' director, Alan Whittingham said:

"It's great that both the university and the college have put sustainability at the top of the agenda by asking for a highly adaptable building which achieves BREEAM Excellent."

Huttons have already started preparations for the building's construction and the project is due to be completed summer 2011, for occupation in autumn 2011.

Robert Halfon MP said:

"Harlow College has been transformed in recent years and is rapidly becoming one of the best colleges in England.

"The partnership with Anglia Ruskin University builds on this success, it's a proud time for Harlow - as we will soon have a great university centre as well as an excellent college in our town. I am proud as an MP to be able to give strong support to both these institutions."

Professor Michael Thorne said:

"Education opens doors. This new centre will encourage more students to progress from further to higher education, it will help businesses train their staff to higher levels, adding to the prosperity of Harlow, and it will enable young people, who have never considered a degree level qualification to really see what opportunities are available to them."

The project combines grants from The East of England Development Agency (EEDA), Harlow-Stansted Growth Area Partnership led by Harlow Council and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), contributing a total of £9.3 million for the new three-storey, 2400 square metre higher education facility.

Colin Hindmarch said:

"I am encouraged to see how many visitors came to the college today, there is a strong will in Harlow for this university initiative to succeed. There has been a great deal of interest in this project, and a good deal of support, I'm grateful for that. It's an exciting time for Harlow College and I think we'll all be watching with interest as the building progresses."

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