Bury College is in consultation regarding plans to open a brand-new centre to further expand the offer of Health, Innovation and related technologies.

The new centre, which is due to open in September 2022, is a welcomed addition to Bury College. As digital technology proves to increase in popularity and the demand for healthcare rises, this new centre will offer young people the opportunity to train in a range of areas and prepare them for industry in employment sectors of key importance to Bury and Greater Manchester economies.

The £8.6million new centre proposal would represent a significant financial investment for Bury’s economy.   Funds for the project are supported by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the Department for Education as well as the College.

The new building would be a purpose-built centre offering a range of courses from advanced through to degree level. The centre will also be used for the delivery of the Government’s new Health and Digital T Levels which are technical qualifications that offer classroom, practical and on-the-job experience. T Levels are equivalent to 3 A-levels and are a post-16 option for school leavers who are interested in studying a range of sectors including digital, science, education and childcare.

State-of-the-art Facilities 

The purpose-built centre has been designed to support healthcare and digital technologies and is proposed to feature a range of state-of-the-art facilities such as a laboratory, simulated hospital ward and simulated domestic home as well as a digital environment and IT suites to support students in their practical learning. The building will be a contemporary design which has been informed by high sustainability credentials and utilising materials sympathetic to existing surrounding buildings.

External Building Proposal 1

External Building Proposal 2

Ground Floor Proposal - Isometric View

Ground Floor Proposal - Top Down View

Benefits of the New Centre

The proposed new build is an exciting new development which will introduce a wide range of opportunities to young people and the local community. The development will meet three main sustainability objectives which include economic, social and environmental.

Economic

• Local economic stimulation will be maintained throughout the construction period, including the utilisation of local contractors and suppliers.
• Increased spending power in the area with additional uptake in staff and students.
• Future provision of a skilled labour force as students qualify with higher technical qualifications, vocational qualifications and T Levels and enter employment.
• At a total value of £8.6 million, the development will attract £3.3 million in grant funding for Bury. This includes £2m from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and £1.3m from the Department for Education.

Social

• The proposals have been developed in conjunction with key health organisations such as the Northern Care Alliance, offering advice on how the facility could support the development of local health professionals. This is becoming more critical as the demand for healthcare professionals increases in response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The specialist training facilities will enhance health services available to the local community, providing direct social benefit.
• The development will contribute to the regeneration of the area, providing local opportunities for education and employment.
• It will provide students with job-relevant practical skills and the potential to progress straight into a job, as the College further develops partnerships with local employers.

Environmental

• The proposal will bring back into use a brownfield site in an accessible location. This avoids reliance on the car and improves linkages between the campus and Bury town centre.
• The proposed density ensures efficient use of the land, overall reducing the take up of land required for Bury College to meet its growth plans.
• The building will be constructed to exemplar environmental standards, striving to meet the globally renowned sustainability mark for Environmental BREEAM ‘Excellence’. This means the building will utilise measures such as cycle storage and facilities, solar panels cells, mechanical ventilation and air source heat pumps.

This webpage will be kept up-to-date with the latest information on the project.

All images are Copyright of Wilson Mason LLP 2021

*As part of a planning application, we will submit to the Local Planning Authority a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). This document will include all correspondence received but will not include any personal information which will be omitted if provided. This ensures all comments received are available to the Council during the consideration of the application. As the SCI forms part of the formal application documents, the Council may publish this information online, subject to their own Data Protection policies.