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Construction of a college campus on an old pit site is progressing. ROBERT BEAUMONT reports on a public-private link up that is working well.

While the role of regional development agencies such as Yorkshire Forward continues to attract controversy, it is heartening to report that some partnerships between public and private sectors are delivering successful results.

The award-winning development of Glasshoughton, near Pontefract, which has generated the old colliery site and created more than 3,000 jobs, is a classic example of the public working together in harmony.

Jointly developed by Yorkshire Forward and construction and development specialists Waystone, Glasshoughton is a superb mixed-use development which has breathed new life into the old mining town.

Now Waystone has turned its attention to another important project, the construction of Wakefield College’s new state-of-the-art campus, the Skills Xchange.

Construction by the Yorkshire developers is gathering pace and engineers have begun to put finishing touches to the steel structure that will form the skeleton of the new learning facility, which is also at Glasshoughton.

A rear access road onto the site has now been formed and engineers are intending to start work on the installation of pre-cast concrete slabs and internal staircases this month.

Wakefield College’s vice principal, Sue Griffiths, said: “It’s so exciting to see things really beginning to take shape with our new campus at Glasshoughton and to watch the building grow out of the ground. We’ve become very familiar with the 2D plans for the Xchange over past months, but to see these emerge in 3D form is just fantastic.”

The 77-week build, which is being part-funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), is due for completion in October 2008 and will see students through its doors in January 2009.

The Xchange will feature the courses which are now offered at the College’s Whitwood Campus, including hair and beauty therapy, construction, motor vehicle and engineering.

Stuart McLoughlin, managing director of Waystone, said: “This College is another landmark building to be sited at Glasshoughton, adding further to the diversity of uses on site. We are also delighted that the college have entrusted the building’s construction to us”.

Meanwhile, Waystone has moved across the Pennines to embark on another public-private partnership and expand its horizons further.

Waystone is a crucial part of Cibitas Investments, a consortium of property experts including Ing Real Estate, Stanhope and private investors Cibitas, working with New East Manchester and Manchester City Council, has submitted a planning application for the regeneration of Holt Town, which promises to be the largest residential-led development in northern England.

As controversy rages over the future of Manchester’s super-casino, the Holt Town Waterfront regeneration project in east Manchester has become increasingly significant.

Holt town, a run-down 95-acre site to the east of Manchester city centre and to the west of Sport City in east Manchester, contains both the Ashton Canal and River Medlock.

Currently an under-used area with an industrial character, key elements of which are vacant and derelict, Holt Town will become an exciting new quarter of Manchester.

The mixed-use development at Holt Town Waterfront in East Manchester, less than a mile from the city centre, will compromise more than 4m sq of housing which will be built over the next 15 years.

About 4,000 of the homes or 70 per cent of the total residential development space will be designed for families.

It will also include about 500,000 sq ft of commercial and leisure space and a new primary school.

Stuart McLoughlin said: “This is the first time in the UK there is an opportunity to completely re-engineer an existing part of a city by introducing new uses in a fully mixed-use sense, through careful co-ordination of design with a robust financial model that will ensure effective delivery of all the elements necessary to create a new part of the city.”

The Holt Town master plan comprises a series of development parcels ranging in size from 02 to 2.2 hectares structured by a hierarchy of streets and green spaces.

The green spaces incorporate the core elements of the site, including the canal and river, and connect with existing and planned green links though surrounding areas.

The green spaces provide variety, from strategic public open space, to semi-public courtyards and gardens, balconies and terraces for homes.

The green space hierarchy provides for neighbourhood recreation facilities, as well as local play and seating areas.

Stuart McLoughlin said: “We are confident of being able to deliver a whole new neighbourhood that will initiate the next wave of urban renaissance in the United Kingdom – bringing families back to our inner cities.”

Yorkshire Post - Tuesday 23 October 2008