Cash blow to campus plan (From Dudley News)

Cash blow to campus plan

12:30pm Wednesday 8th July 2009

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STOURBRIDGE College’s £31 million development plans have been dealt a crushing blow after Government funding for the ambitious project was lost.

College bosses had been hoping for a Learning & Skills Council cash injection to build a state-ofthe-art new performing arts centre and library complex in the heart of Brierley Hill.

But after months of waiting to hear whether the cash-strapped LSC would foot the bill for the grand designs, the college has now been told it has not made the shortlist for emergency funding, even though it has stumped up more than £1.5 million of the college’s own money on planning the new building.

Only 13 out of 180 projects across the country have been successful, which means Stourbridge College will have to wait until 2011/2012 before any future Government cash may become available.

But college principal Lynette Cutting said she would continue with plans for a new campus regardless of the LSC’s decision.

She said: “As you would expect from a well-managed and improving college, we have been putting contingency plans in place in the event that funding wouldn’t be made available.

“Over the summer, we will be firming up a number of options, including alternative ways to finance this project in order to continue offering our local community the highest standard of education possible.

“We want to be a part of the vital regeneration in Brierley Hill and our new campus, focusing on A levels and the creative industries, as well as housing Dudley Council’s new library facilities, is very much still in the pipeline.”

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