The creation of a Rural Skills Centre and Rural Enterprise Hub form part of a £3 million transformation of the Walford campus and will ensure learners, apprentices and local businesses benefit from state of the art accommodation to complement the superb learning experience already offered at Walford.
The conversion of the old stable block into a Rural Skills Centre will provide five high quality additional classrooms along with a large multi-purpose workshop area, to accommodate rural skills training for employers, adult learners and young people. There will also be much needed office space for up to twenty staff.
Alongside the Rural Skills Centre, the scheme provides for conversion of the Grade 2 listed former Cannery building, to create a Rural Enterprise Hub aimed at supporting and promoting self-employment and small business start-ups. The College is working with the Shropshire and Telford Young Britain team to provide an inspirational venue for young people thinking of starting their own business, with a particular focus on rural enterprise.
DGA have assembled a team of Shropshire-based experts to work with the College including structural engineers, consulting engineers and quantity surveyors. Andrew Tyley, Walford and North Shropshire College Principal, commented, “These buildings are central to our plans for developing Walford. With DGA’s help we will create an inspirational environment for students and businesses.” Ewan Dryburgh, Director of DGA said, “We are really pleased to be working on such a high profile project bringing these important buildings back into productive use, and helping to inspire the future generation of Walford students.”
Planning has already started with the aim of completing the project in autumn 2013.
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