| Principal of Thanet College Sue Buss was given three minutes to explain the plan to the committee and talked about the importance of the move to the college and to East Kent.
She outlined the college’s vision to create a new campus in the heart of Thanet and to inspire and empower local communities and employers through outstanding education and training.
The college is fast out-growing its Broadstairs site off Ramsgate Road. Sue explained it has a Grade II listed building with limited flexibility, a one in 20 gradient which makes accessibility very difficult, out-of-date facilities, is expensive to maintain and has limited capacity to expand.
The college also rents off-campus premises which are costly and inefficient for training. The proposed new campus will offer top-class facilities including industrial catering kitchens, hair and beauty salons, construction workshops and a sports area, which will complement the county’s facilities for the 2012 Olympics.
The new campus will also allow for a significant growth in student numbers and will mean the college will be able to work with Canterbury Christ Church University to offer a combined further and higher education facility. The college hopes to be able to take in 19% more learners, which equates to 260 more young people from the Thanet area being in education. Some 140 students are expected to come from a group not currently in education, employment or training. It also intends to expand the range of qualifications and apprenticeships it offers.
Thanet College has been working closely with both district council planning officers and Kent County Council highway officers and has considered all consultation responses. It is aware of issues surrounding traffic in the Westwood area as a whole and is having ongoing discussions with officers and both councils. It hopes these concerns can be met by an appropriate Section 106 agreement. |
