Project value: £3m

Project theme: skills

Bedford College is to expand of its educational offer of Health Science and Digital Skills subjects. The £12.6m project will also result in the re-purposing and regeneration of a dated, failing and unattractive building within the town centre.

The project will have positive benefits for the town’s wider daytime and evening economy, by increasing footfall, trips and linked expenditure for other local businesses, facilities and services. The refurbishment will include remodelling the existing building in order to provide education for the growing population in Bedfordshire. It will be equipped with the latest learning technologies, designed to help learners achieve their potential; measured by results and value-added to enable them to achieve their ambitions through to university and employment.

These students will also contribute to the local economy over their working life. As well as focusing on improving the skills of the young people within Bedford and the surrounding area, refurbishing this building on Cauldwell Street would also help the regeneration of the town centre by providing a much improved aspect to the landscape.

The new configuration of the building will include a new public entrance on the north aspect allowing entrance direct from the pedestrian bridge across the River Great Ouse, improving access from the bus and rail stations in the town.

When considering the regeneration of Bedford and the levelling up agenda, improving the levels of education is a key driver.

This project will accommodate an additional 250 students per annum drawn from across the Bedford Borough catchment and beyond.

View the project visual: Health and Digital Skills Centre (Jpeg)