Northern Regional College’s Coleraine campus is to relocate to the former St Joseph’s College premises while its new Union Street campus is built.
The Beresford Avenue move later this year remains ‘on schedule.’
The new purpose-built campus will be on an extended site which includes the former Church of Ireland buildings on Brook Street. The existing buildings at Union Street will be demolished.
The move is part of an £84 million capital investment programme, funded by the Department for the Economy, to develop new campuses on its current sites in Union Street, Coleraine and Farm Lodge, Ballymena.
Following an enforced six-week layoff because of COVID-19, the contractor is back on site.
It is hoped 85% of the classrooms and IT suites will be ready for furniture and IT installations in mid-July.
The phased opening of the remainder of the building will allow access for enrolments in mid-August and ensure that Beresford Avenue is ready to accommodate staff and students for the start of the new academic year.
Professor Terri Scott, Principal and Chief Executive of Northern Regional College said she is delighted that plans to relocate to Beresford Avenue remain very much on track.
“This temporary relocation marks an important milestone in what is a tremendously exciting project that will significantly benefit the local economy and open up exciting new career opportunities for students of all ages in our new Coleraine campus.
“Our College Estates Team will be working closely over the summer months with the appointed contractor to ensure that necessary arrangements are in place for our students to return to class-based learning when it is safe to do so, in line with government guidance,” she added.