College calls for new facilities due to disrepair

Jerseys only further and higher education college has written a letter to the States of Jersey to request new facilities.

The letter from Jo Terry-Marchant, principal at Highlands College and University College Jersey, said the current college estate was "outdated, inflexible, and no longer fit for purpose in many areas."

It added due to limited capacity in workshop areas it wasn't able to meet the demands of 14 to 16-year-olds from local schools.

It said a "new, modern campus is a strategic necessity".

The letter added the existing site presented additional barriers as the facilities were not fully compliant in relation to disability access.

This affected learners who needed opportunities from Life Skills (students with complex needs) and inclusion programmes.

The letter stated in order to support the development of the workforce it must move beyond "reactive repairs" and "incremental fixes."

It said: "A new, modern campus is a strategic necessity, being central to the education eco-system, delivering a sustainable, future-ready education system that can support industry needs, social mobility, and the Island's long-term economic resilience."

It understood that the maintenance requirements would wipe out most of the Jersey Property Holdings (JPH) maintenance budget for it's wider portfolio and the pressure on the public purse.

It said unless a study into a partial rebuild, "focusing on modern workshops is conducted, we will be constrained in our ability to meet government aspirations without capital investment."

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