PLANS SUBMITTED FOR 1,000-PLACE COLLEGE

Plans have been submitted for a new 1,000-place post-16 college at Thorpe Park Leeds, creating additional capacity for young people at a time of growing demand for post-16 provision across East Leeds.

Scarborough Group International (SGI), through Thorpe Park Developments Ltd, is bringing forward the circa 90,000 sq ft, four-storey facility in partnership with Delta Academies Trust.

Subject to planning and Department for Education approvals, Delta would relocate its existing post-16 provision at Garforth Academy to the purpose-built facility, increasing capacity from around 400 students to up to 1,000. The relocation would also release space at Garforth Academy for its 11-16 provision, allowing existing facilities to be repurposed and supporting wider improvements across the school.   Designed by AHR, the four-storey building has been developed specifically for post-16 learning, combining teaching spaces with areas for independent study and student life. Sustainability is integral to the design, which is targeting BREEAM Excellent.

The application comes as Leeds experiences significant growth in its 16-17 population. The city’s current Year 11 population of 8,714 is projected to increase to 10,015 by 2028/29 – the highest projected growth of any English local authority, according to ONS data.

The new college would offer a broad curriculum combining A Levels with technical and vocational routes, including T Levels and the soon-to-be-released V-Levels, providing different pathways into higher education, apprenticeships and employment.

Its location at Thorpe Park would place students within an established business community of more than 100 businesses and around 7,500 employees, creating opportunities for work experience, employer-led placements and closer links between post-16 learning and future careers.

For businesses, it would also create opportunities to engage with emerging talent and help shape the skills needed by employers across Leeds and the wider city region.

The college would also sit close to growing communities across East Leeds and alongside the existing mix of employment, retail, leisure and green space at Thorpe Park. Students would have access to The Springs retail and leisure centre, 150 acres of open space at Green Park and Leeds City Council‘s planned Park Life sports hub.

Thorpe Park is already served by road, bus, walking and cycling routes. However, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail are currently advancing their ambitions to build a  new  railway station at Thorpe Park.

The planning submission follows public consultation over the summer, which attracted positive engagement and strong support from those who responded. Feedback received during the consultation has helped inform the design and the application now before Leeds City Council, with 68.5% of respondents supporting the plans.

Adam Varley, Development Director at Scarborough Group International, said:

“There’s something really compelling about giving young people the opportunity to take their next step in a place like Thorpe Park. They would be surrounded by businesses of all sizes and sectors, seeing first-hand the breadth of careers available to them and, importantly, having opportunities to build those connections before they leave post-16 education.

 

“For the businesses already here, and those we hope to attract in the future, there’s an equally exciting opportunity to engage with emerging talent, share skills and experience and help young people understand where their studies could take them. That relationship has the potential to be incredibly valuable on both sides.

 

“Submitting the planning application brings that vision a step closer. It would also introduce something completely new to Thorpe Park, adding to the mix of people and uses here and bringing another generation into the life of the Park.

 

“We’ve had some really constructive feedback through the consultation and I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to get involved. We’ll continue that dialogue as the application moves forward.”

Andy Barnett, CEO at Delta Academies Trust, said:

“The submission of this planning application represents an exciting milestone in our plans to establish Thorpe Park College and provide more high-quality educational opportunities for young people in Leeds.

 

“At Delta Academies Trust, we are committed to creating ambitious, inclusive learning environments where every young person can achieve their full potential. Thorpe Park College is a significant investment in the future of local families, providing students with an inspiring setting in which to learn, grow and prepare for the opportunities ahead.

 

“We believe these proposals have the potential to make a lasting contribution to the local community and to the wider educational landscape across Leeds. We look forward to engaging with the local community and stakeholders as the planning process progresses.”

The planning application has been submitted to Leeds City Council by Zerum on behalf of Thorpe Park Developments Ltd.

The wider project team includes AHR as architect, Zerum as planning consultant, Mosodi as transport planning consultant, BWF as cost consultant, Buro Happold as engineer, Ares as landscape architect and Willmott Dixon as contractor.

Subject to planning and the necessary Department for Education approvals, the new college is targeting an opening in autumn 2028.

The submission forms part of the next phase of growth at Thorpe Park Leeds. Over the last 25 years, more than one million sq ft of workspace has been delivered alongside The Springs retail and leisure destination and 300 homes. The masterplan envisages Thorpe Park growing to more than 2.8 million sq ft, with further office, industrial and logistics, hospitality, leisure and residential development planned.