Plans to build a new college campus in Daventry town centre will now become a reality – thanks to today’s government announcement that the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership, SEMLEP, has been awarded £6.5 million towards the project.
In March 2014 SEMLEP submitted an economic growth strategy, its ‘Strategic Economic Plan’, to government, pitching for a share of the £2billion Local Growth Fund and earmarking the Northampton College’s plans for a new Daventry campus as in need of funding.
In total SEMLEP has been awarded a Local Growth Deal of £64.4 million i
Plans to build a new college campus in Daventry town centre will now become a reality – thanks to today’s government announcement that the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership, SEMLEP, has been awarded £6.5 million towards the project.
In March 2014 SEMLEP submitted an economic growth strategy, its ‘Strategic Economic Plan’, to government, pitching for a share of the £2billion Local Growth Fund and earmarking the Northampton College’s plans for a new Daventry campus as in need of funding.
In total SEMLEP has been awarded a Local Growth Deal of £64.4 million investment, £6.5million of which will be used to help fund and build a new purpose built college campus in Daventry town centre.
The new college, which will commence construction next May and create 70 new jobs, will cater for 700 students of which 200 will be apprenticeships. The college curriculum will focus on vocational training so that students have the skills local employers need and there will also be programmes and support for local businesses, start-ups and social enterprises.
Dr Ann Limb OBE DL, Chair of SEMLEP, said: “We are delighted our Strategic Economic Plan has been agreed by government and that we have secured essential funding for much needed, local and strategic projects which will drive growth across the area and deliver the necessary infrastructure to enable new homes to be built and new employment sites to be developed.
“This funding will provide support to new and existing businesses to enable them to grow, it will encourage inward investment and ensure that young people improve their skills levels and are better able to meet the needs of local businesses.”
Pat Brennan-Barratt, Principal of Northampton College, said: “I am delighted that our bid for this new facility has been approved and look forward to working with our partners, SEMLEP, Daventry District Council and Northamptonshire County Council in the delivery of a high quality college designed specifically to benefit the people of Daventry.
“We will offer vocational education for 16 to 18 year olds and adults and we will work with employers to provide apprenticeships for local people. As a college our ambition is to be the first choice for education and training in Daventry and our plans demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the town and the local community.”
Chris Millar, Leader of Daventry District Council, said: “We have ambitious regeneration plans for Daventry and education is at the heart of our masterplan so we are very pleased that plans to build this college campus can now go ahead.
“The Northampton College Daventry campus will ensure we continue to develop a skilled workforce so that new jobs in Daventry district can be filled with local talent.”
£6.5m for Northampton College to fund a purpose built campus in Daventry town centre which will focus on vocational facilities and a curriculum that meets the needs of local employers.”
Today’s announcement confirms that seven major strategic projects across the South East Midlands – an area which covers Aylesbury, Banbury, Bedford, Bicester, Corby, Daventry, Kettering, Leighton Buzzard, Luton, Milton Keynes, Northampton – have been awarded funding, with an initial £19.9 million confirmed for 2015/16 and a further £23.9 million to be spent by 2021. This is in addition to the £14.7 million for major transport schemes already announced.
Today’s announcement confirms that SEMLEP has been awarded the following funding:
- £23.5m to complete dualling along a stretch of the A421 which will result in uninterrupted dual carriageway from Milton Keynes to Bedford
- £20m for Bedfordshire’s Woodside Link, a new road which will connect Houghton Regis and the industrial estates in Dunstable to the planned new M1 junction 11a
- £800,000 to promote sustainable transport choices within Luton and Dunstable through Central Bedfordshire’s Smarter Routes into Employment programme
- £6.5m for Northampton College to fund a purpose built campus in Daventry town centre which will focus on vocational facilities and a curriculum that meets the needs of local employers.
- £2.5m to build a new engineering and construction skills centre in Leighton Buzzard, which will train young people and adults to work as technicians.
- £1.5m to develop Bletchley Station and create a high quality station gateway that will connect several recent developments and provide a catalyst for further investment.
The government has also provisionally earmarked £20.6 million for two projects: a link road within SEMLEP’s Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone and improved access to London Luton Airport.
SEMLEP supported two overlapping LEPs with their applications for the Local Growth Fund, confirmed as successful in today’s announcement. These were around £6 million for the Daventry Development Link, awarded to Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP) and around £16 million for the Aylesbury Eastern Link Road and Stocklake Link Road, awarded to Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership (BTVLEP).
The total investment from government will unlock an addition £43.1 million of investment from local partners and the private sector.