New college building prepares to take in students

The first, second and third floors and ground floor hair and beauty salon can now be fully fitted out for students, the council said

The first floors of a new City of Wolverhampton College building have been handed over ahead of it opening to students.

The £61m City Learning Quarter campus is almost complete with the ground floor hair and beauty salon and first, second and third floors being transferred from the contractor.

Works on the remainder of the ground floor will continue then be handed over to the college who will fit out the floors ready for students in November.

Alongside improvements to the nearby Adult Education Wolverhampton and Central Library facilities, the college will offer educational provision to "enhance skills and employment outcomes for residents and wider region", the council said.

The new building sits on the corner of Garrick Street and Bilston Street and also uses the existing Metro One building.

It will offer A-levels and vocational qualifications in art, design and photography, business and management, catering and hospitality, computing and digital, creative media, games design and e-sports, hair and beauty, health and social care, music technology, performing arts, and science.

The first images of classrooms and the interior of the building have been released

'Long-held vision'

Councillor Chris Burden, cabinet member for city development, jobs and skills, said the handover was the "final steps" of the council's long-term vision.

"This new state-of-the-art facility will drive education and skills in the city and unlock opportunities for the people of Wolverhampton and beyond," he said.

"Over 10 years approximately 45,000 people will benefit from learning at the City Learning Quarter and around 7,500 apprenticeships will be started.

"It will also act as a focal point in the city centre, boosting footfall by 4,500 a week to support neighbouring businesses, especially with its excellent connectivity to rail, bus, tram and cycle routes."

The first phase of the City Learning Quarter masterplan was an £8.1m Advanced Technology and Automotive Centre at the college's Wellington Road campus which opened to students in September 2024.

The development will see the college move from its Paget Road site, which has been identified as land to build much-needed housing, the council added.

Louise Fall, principal and chief executive of the college, said: "After many years of discussion and planning, it's fantastic to see a long-held vision for the city finally become a reality.

"We're excited to relocate courses from the outdated Paget Road site to this brand-new city centre location which will provide a vibrant and welcoming environment for students, apprentices, staff, employers and visitors alike."

Warinder Juss MP, Wolverhampton West, said the development provided "exciting opportunities" for students and boosted the city centre.

Students will start using the building in November