Hopwood Hall College awarded government funding to upgrade Rochdale campus

Hopwood Hall College and University Centre is set to make huge changes to its Rochdale campus after submitting an ambitious proposal to the Department for Education.

The successful bid was made as part of the third phase of the government’s £1.5 billion FE Capital Transformation Fund.

Just 16 institutions from across the country have been selected to benefit from the cash influx designed to aid upgrades and refurbishments.

Hopwood’s winning bid outlines plans to create a state-of-the-art teaching block at its Rochdale campus.

The project comes following the launch of the college’s Estates Strategy, where £24 million is being invested across its campuses in Middleton and Rochdale.

This includes a £6.1 million extension to its Technology Centre, which will help tackle the skills gap by providing further training in advanced manufacturing and construction.
 

Read more: Work to start on £6.1m Technology Centre extension at Hopwood HallPublished: 06 February 2021

Over the past few years the college has made a series of big investments to its facilities, such as when it completely transforming the fourth floor of a building into an industry-standard hair and beauty in 2019.

These new additions can all be enjoyed through a special 360 tour at Hopwood’s upcoming Virtual Open Event on Thursday 22 April.

 

 

Julia Heap, Principal and CEO of Hopwood Hall College and University Centre, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to invest in our facilities in this way and, in turn, invest in the borough.

“This funding will mean our students can continue to enjoy state-of-the-art learning spaces – whether they’re school leavers, apprenticeships, or adults completing part-time or university-level courses.

“It really is an exciting time at the college and we can’t wait for the community to start reaping the rewards!”

Tony Lloyd, Member of Parliament for Rochdale, said: “I am delighted with the news that Hopwood Hall has been selected as one of the colleges to benefit from the FE Capital Transformation Fund.

“This is real recognition of the enormous efforts that the college has made to be one of the premier further education institutions in the country.

“This new investment will guarantee that students have the facilities that will genuinely enhance their learning experience.”

 

 

Chris Clarkson, Member of Parliament for Heywood and Middleton, said: “I am chuffed to bits with this announcement. 

“Hopwood Hall is a standout success story for Heywood and Middleton. The hard work and determination of Julia Heap, the Principal, and her team makes me extremely proud to be the local MP.

“I am really pleased that the government also sees the value of this outstanding college and is backing it with serious investment.”