MILLER Construction has started work on building a new £6.8m sixth-form centre for Middlesbrough College.
The contract includes a new-build construction which will incorporate the preserved facade of one of the town’s historic Victorian buildings.
Ian Jubb, regional managing director North, for Miller Construction, said: “We are delighted to be undertaking works on behalf of Middlesbrough College to deliver their new sixth-form centre.
“Miller Construction prides itself on its reputation in the delivery of exceptional learning environments. We look forward to building a successful partnership with the college, which will see us deliver outstanding facilities for students and staff alike.”
The centre will specialise in teaching AS and A-Levels to students across the Tees Valley area and has been designed to provide some of the best facilities in the UK.
It will include 13 classrooms, tutorial rooms, staff and administrative office space, an IT suite, a student lounge, cafe and sports facilities, including a full-size floodlit astro-turf pitch.
The centre will cater for around 300 students when it is completed next autumn. Middlesbrough College deputy principal, Zoe Lewis, said: “The college is thrilled to see the work start on site and looks forward to the opening of an academic and sporting centre of excellence, which will complement our existing state-of-the-art vocational facilities.”
Work is now underway on the building, which is opposite the main college site, and will run along Dock Street between Lower East Street and Commercial Street in the town.
It is the latest in a line of educational contract wins for Miller Construction, which has worked on a number of recent college jobs in County Durham and Teesside
Miller chief executive Chris Webster said: “Securing the contract for Middlesbrough Sixth Form College reinforces our reputation as an industry leader in the education market.
“We have delivered a number of prestigious colleges in the North East including East Durham College, and the award-winning Hartlepool Sixth Form College and Hartlepool College of Further Education.
“Our driver is the delivery of quality educational facilities year after year, which benefit learners, staff and local communities.”
The group will also be working with Middlesbrough College students throughout the sixth form centre building work, to promote the construction industry as a career choice and offering opportunities to learn about the sector.