Chris Elmore MP for Bridgend & Porthcawl was delighted to recently join Andrew Gibbs, Vice Principal of Bridgend College, along with the team from contractors Willmott Dixon, Bridgend County Borough Council officials, members of the Bridgend Regeneration Working Group, and local stakeholders, for a tour of the new Bridgend College campus development in the heart of the town centre.
The £12,901 sqm development at Cheapside in Bridgend town centre is taking shape and, once complete, will include a theatre, hair and beauty salons, recording and dance studios, design workshops and more.
This transformational project will bring new energy into Bridgend town centre, attract more people, and help the community thrive. Supporting regeneration across Bridgend & Porthcawl remains one of Chris Elmore’s top priorities.
Chris Elmore MP said:
“It’s fantastic to see the progress being made on this exciting development right in the heart of Bridgend. This is a once-in-a-generation investment that will not only provide world-class facilities for students but will also breathe new life into our town centre. I’m proud to support a project that will create opportunities for young people, support local businesses, and deliver real benefits for the whole community.”
A Campus for the Future
The new Bridgend College campus will be a net-zero carbon building, offering state-of-the-art facilities for post-16 education. It will also provide wider community benefits, including a 200-seat theatre space, a coffee shop, and flexible meeting spaces.
At the time the plans were unveiled, Vivienne Buckley, Principal and CEO of Bridgend College, said:
“We are excited about the aspirational plans to create a vibrant new town centre campus in the heart of Bridgend. Our ambition is to create a net-zero carbon building, with twenty-first century learning and teaching facilities for post-16 education in Bridgend, with community benefits including a 200-seat theatre space, a coffee shop and flexible meeting spaces.
This investment, part funded by the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, will play a key role in the regeneration of Bridgend town centre, supporting local businesses and utilising public transport links into the town.”
Transformational Investment
This £50 million project will not only reduce the College’s environmental impact—by connecting to the new Bridgend district heat system—but will also provide vital opportunities for young people and members of the community to retrain and gain valuable employability skills.
Partly funded by the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning programme, the new campus will play a central role in the regeneration of Bridgend town centre, supporting local businesses and strengthening transport links.
More information about the development can be found here: www.bridgend.ac.uk/about-us/campus-developments/new-town-centre-campus/
