Plans to create a world class centre for Engineering, Aerospace and Automotive training on the eastern edge of Exeter by 2012 have moved a step further forward with the submission of exciting plans to the city’s planning office this month.

Exeter College will build an £8.5m Technology centre which will provide workshops, laboratories and teaching spaces for c.300 Automotive, Aerospace and Engineering students from 14-16 year olds, all the way through to university-level courses and dedicated employer training. This innovative and exciting development follows talks with the city and county councils and other economic training and funding bodies over many months, and will accommodate the College’s expanding Technology Faculty, currently housed in separate facilities across the city.

“It is essential that we continue to invest in training for these essential and popular industries despite the current gloom about the economy”, said Rebecca King, Deputy Principal, Exeter College. “We have seen an increase in the demand for industry-standard training from young people as well as employees and employers who are keen to improve their skills and keep ahead of the global technological advances. We are excited about creating this new purpose built centre of excellent for our long standing automotive and engineering provision as well as our new aerospace activity which has grown rapidly through our dynamic partnership with Flybe”.

The 3.16 acre site, at Cumberland Way, has been earmarked for education and training within the Monkerton and Hill Barton Masterplan which aims to build a “new sustainable community on the eastern edge of Exeter – a well planned, fully integrated and connected part of the city – known as an attractive place to live and work”. The plan, commissioned jointly by Exeter and Devon Councils, Exeter and East Devon Growth Point Team and landowner representatives in 2009, included feedback from workshops and consultations with landowner, statutory bodies and local interested parties.

“The detailed plans have been submitted following consultations and the Technology Centre will house technical workshops and classrooms, and MOT testing bay, CADCAM IT suite, motor vehicle and motorbike diagnostic testing lab and a 3 storey learning and IT centre and coffee shop”, continued Rebecca King. “The location is perfect for both local, county and regional interest since it already has excellent transport links with new public transport links planned, and is sited close to Exeter’s new Science Park as well as the new M5 junction developments.

Ian Fitzpatrick, the new Head of Engineering, Aerospace and Automotive is looking forward to the brand new build saying “Our two automotive centres based in Marsh Barton will now benefit from being consolidated and will still maintain their very strong links with the motor franchises that are such a focus of Exeter’s industrial estates, whilst our engineering and aerospace training will move from their city centre sites. Since we are able to expand into a purpose built site there will be no disruption to our students’ and trainees’ progress while we build and we’re able to spearhead up to date training with all the current industrial equipment and facilities”.

“This is a very exciting time for Exeter College and the local area” said Richard Atkins, Principal. “We are proud that due to our outstanding student success rates and prudent financial management, Exeter College is one of the very few in the country that is facing the current economic gloom with cautious optimism. We certainly have the confident to continue to invest in providing modern industry- standard training facilities, particularly in those sectors which have been identified as local and national priorities. East Devon and Exeter is well placed for future economic development, and this new centre will provide a world-class training infrastructure to support these developments”.