First glimpse of Wellingborough’s refurbished Tresham campus

This is how a Wellingborough town centre eyesore could be transformed by 2020.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Jan 2019, 05:00 BST
Updated 7th Feb 2019, 17:02 BST
An artist's impression of the refurbished tower block. NNL-190120-152939005An artist's impression of the refurbished tower block. NNL-190120-152939005
An artist's impression of the refurbished tower block. NNL-190120-152939005

The Tresham College campus in Church Street is set to undergo a major refurbishment after securing £7.5m in funding from Semlep.

The site only currently offers programmes in motor vehicle technology, with many of the 1960s-built buildings too costly to maintain.

This is how the Church Street campus currently looks. NNL-190120-152919005This is how the Church Street campus currently looks. NNL-190120-152919005
This is how the Church Street campus currently looks. NNL-190120-152919005
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But plans have gone on display for part of the refurbishment which could see more students back at the campus by September next year.

The biggest visual change will see aluminium overcladding on the main tower block with windows replaced.

It is also proposed to have more than 100 car parking spaces at the rear of the tower, accessed from Queen Street, for use by college pupils and staff.

The front part of the site will be re-landscaped to create an ‘open and attractive plaza’.

The same cladding system and finish was used for a project at Imperial College London. This is how that building looks. NNL-190120-152929005The same cladding system and finish was used for a project at Imperial College London. This is how that building looks. NNL-190120-152929005
The same cladding system and finish was used for a project at Imperial College London. This is how that building looks. NNL-190120-152929005
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Internally the ground floor will be re-designed with a reception, cafe, learning resource centre and common room. The remaining areas of the college will be fully refurbished.

Tresham College was set for a brand new campus in the town, but the plans came to an end when it began looking into merging with another college.

It has since merged with The Bedford College Group and part of the Wellingborough campus was demolished in 2017.

When funding for the project was recommended last year, Bedford College Group chief executive officer Ian Pryce said: “Our proposal to refurbish Tresham College’s existing site at Wellingborough will enable us to offer the community across East Northamptonshire a much wider range of courses, qualifications and apprenticeships that address current skills gaps and better meet local employers’ needs.”

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And Wellingborough Council leader Cllr Martin Griffiths said: “The new education facilities will help with the regeneration of the town centre and will provide a much-needed further education site for not only the borough, but neighbouring districts too.”

To ensure that training opportunities are still available in the town whilst the campus is being refurbished, full-time and part-time courses are being run at Croyland Hall in the town.

Motor vehicle courses will continue to be based at the Church Street campus throughout the planned refurbishment.