Harrogate College has secured planning permission to proceed with a £22 million campus rebuild.
The plans, presented to the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Planning Committee, were passed unopposed by councillors.
In addition to a new state-of-the-art main campus building, the planned facilities also include a renewable energy technology centre.
Harrogate College is undertaking this rebuild to strengthen its ability to offer cutting-edge courses in priority growth sectors for Harrogate and the wider North Yorkshire region, including advanced manufacturing, low carbon construction, retrofit, sustainable energy, health science, and hospitality.
The improved facilities that learners will benefit from include a mock hospital ward, a digital technology suite, an electric vehicle workshop, and a construction centre focused on modern building methods.
Harrogate College’s Principal, Danny Wild, said:
“It is immensely pleasing to have now secured planning permission to pursue this forward-looking, innovative and value for money investment into Harrogate’s educational infrastructure.
"We are now awaiting written confirmation from the local authority to proceed with Harrogate College’s rebuild.
"The new campus will enable increased breadth and quality within the curriculum on offer at the college, allowing us to better support local and regional skills needs.
"As the only general further education college in the area, I’m excited to see the benefits these new facilities will bring local young people, adults and the economy.”
Primarily funded through £20m secured from the Department for Education, the project signals the Government’s recognition of the need for investment to improve further education provision in the local area.
The additional £2m has been sourced through Luminate Education Group, of which Harrogate College is a member.
Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Planning Committee’s decision to grant approval for the rebuild follows a protracted legal challenge caused by the launch of a judicial review that delayed the project.
During this delay, the project received high profile support from both the local MP and the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire. Each made strong representations to the Department for Education to ensure the project’s funding remained available.
Tom Gordon, Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said:
“The Harrogate College rebuild represents an important opportunity to provide more young people with access to skills and training, while helping to build a workforce that meets the needs of local employers.
"As the town’s only general further education college, it has a key role in our community’s long-term future. Since my election, I’ve worked hard to push the Government to follow through with the funding commitment made by the previous government.
"This redevelopment will strengthen our local economy and open up more opportunities for people to gain the training they need to succeed.”
The key reason behind rebuilding Harrogate College’s current main building, which is an old office block that was never intended for educational purposes, is to meet growing student demand through closer alignment of the college’s curriculum with regional economic growth areas.
At present, there is significant unusable teaching space within the current building, which the college is now outgrowing.
The new campus aims to better meet student demand for courses, with new purpose built buildings allowing for an overall growth in the number of learners at the college.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:
"Everyone in our region should have the chance to thrive - that means connecting our communities to the opportunities that matter.
"Harrogate College's redevelopment marks a big investment for the future of our region, giving people the skills and training needed for tomorrow's jobs and helping our local economy grow."
Construction is due to begin on the rebuild in the coming months, with the new buildings set to open their doors to students in the 2026 academic year.
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