Apply

Bursary applications are now open. Apply now to have funding in place for September 2025. Click here to apply now.

Call us on 01392 400 500

Exeter College Masterplan Shortlisted in Michelmores Property Awards 2020

Exeter College’s ambitious campus Masterplan, which places a vision for what the College’s sites will look like over the next 20 years, has been shortlisted in the prestigious Michelmores Property Awards 2020.  

The awards, which is now in its 18th year, celebrate the most prestigious, innovative and exciting developments taking place in the South West and the Exeter College Masterplan has been shortlisted in the ‘Masterplanning for the Future’ category.  

“Our Masterplan is about investing in education in this region and investing in the skills that learners need to thrive in the economy of the future.”

Steve Strang, Director of Estates and Information Technology

As part of the College’s Masterplan, which has been approved unanimously by Exeter City Council, the College has set out a plan to meet the ambitions of the city of Exeter and the wider region in the coming years. This includes an overarching estates investment that will revolutionise the College’s sites, including the eventual demolition of the College’s iconic Tower Building to be replaced with state-of-the-art specialist learning centres. 

The Masterplan is already seeing its vision be realised, with the first phase of development – a new Digital and Data Centre as part of the South West Institute of Technology – currently under construction at the College’s Hele Road site.  

Other developments set to take place as part of the Masterplan over the next 20 years includes a new pedestrian walkway from St David’s Station to the city centre and to better utilise the College’s green spaces on campus for maximum benefit to learners and the wider community. 

The Masterplan follows on from the College’s recent inspirational build projects in recent years, including a specialist Maths and Science Centre in 2015, a Gym and Dance Studio in 2019 and a £1million mezzanine in the Construction Centre to aid with the delivery of T Levels from September 2020.  

Winners of the Michelmores Property Awards 2020 will be announced on November 12th with details on the virtual awards ceremony set to be announced in the coming weeks.  

The Exeter College Masterplan places a vision for the future of the College’s sites over the next 20 years.

Exeter College Director of Estates and Information Technology Steve Strang said, “I’m delighted that our ambitious Masterplan has been shortlisted for this prestigious award.”  

“Our Masterplan is about investing in education in this region and investing in the skills that learners need to thrive in the economy of the future. Although an ambitious and far-reaching project, we’ve worked to ensure this plan meets not only our needs as an exceptional education provider but also meets the needs of learners, businesses and the wider community. 

“Best of luck to all the others shortlisted in the awards; there are some remarkable projects taking place in the south west and it’s great to be able to celebrate these achievements.”  

Emma Honey, Head of Property at Michelmores, said, “Many congratulations to those schemes shortlisted in this year’s Michelmores Property Awards. The last few months have brought unprecedented uncertainty to all of our lives and now, more than ever, it is important to celebrate the excellence in our region’s property and construction sector. We look forward to celebrating 2020’s winning projects at a virtual event on Thursday 12 November; we will share more details on this year’s ceremony soon.”

Exeter College is seeking the views of the community into a proposed masterplan which will invest £70 million into education – to meet the ambitions of the city of Exeter and the wider region.

The mission of the college is to shape the future of education by delivering excellence in all aspects of its work in order realise the ambitions of its learners, city and region.

Under the plans, the college is working to meet the ambitions of the city of Exeter, the region and the local community served by the college, together with meeting needs of world-class employers and the skills required within their workforce.

As highlighted by Exeter Live Better, Exeter is now one of the UK’s most successful cities as a brilliant alternative, on so many measures.

The masterplan – which would ultimately see the college’s Tower Block in Hele Road replaced by a lower building – has been drawn up as the outstanding college continues to play its role in building the city’s knowledge economy.

The college is holding an exhibition into the proposals and is inviting feedback from the public before taking the plans further.

The masterplan builds on the college’s considerable multi-million-pound investment in outstanding facilities across the city in recent years, including a new Advanced Engineering Centre, supported by the LEP, Maths and Science Centre, Sports Hall, and 3G pitch for community use. The college is currently investing in a new gym and dance studio.

The first stage of the masterplan is a proposal for a new South West Institute of Technology building, which will help put the region at the forefront of digital technology learning across the UK, next to the current Hele building.

John Laramy, Exeter College Principal and Chief Executive, said: “Exeter College is seeking the views of people in Exeter and beyond about our plans for the future – which could see, over time, around £70 million invested in education in the city.

“Exeter College has been based in and around Hele Road in the city centre since it was founded, as the first tertiary college in England, in 1970, when it had around 6,000 post-16 students.

“The college today caters for almost twice as many students as it did back then, and has developed a number of new facilities in the city centre and beyond.

“To meet the ambition of the vibrant city of Exeter, the region and the local community we serve, together with meeting needs of world class employers and the skills required within their workforce, we are looking at how we meet these demands.

“We value the important role we play in Exeter and Devon, and the sustained partnerships we have been fortunate to develop.

“Above all, we are proud to be part of the local community and that is why we are so keen to hear the views of our community and the city about our plans for the future.”

Steve Campion, Vice Principal (Finance and Business Operations), Exeter College, added: “Working with planning experts and some of the region’s leading architects we have drawn up a masterplan, showing how we could redevelop the Hele Road site in stages in the coming years.

“Before we submit this masterplan for planning consideration, we’d like to seek the views of the people of the city, and our neighbours in particular, hence our open invitation to our masterplan exhibition, which will feature details of our plans.”

The exhibition is being held in the college on Thursday 17th January 3.30pm to 7pm in the Tower Block. For those not able to attend, the proposals will also be available to view online, after the 17th January where there will also be an opportunity to provide feedback.

Showing 1-11 of 1240