London South East Colleges has today officially opened its new Greenwich campus, marking the completion of a decade-long project to secure the future of Further Education in the borough and deliver one of the most sustainable college buildings in the country.
Opened by the Lord-Lieutenant for London, Sir Kenneth Olisa, the £45 million development replaces facilities on a site that has provided education to the local community for more than a century. It includes industry-standard workshops, specialist teaching facilities and dedicated wellbeing spaces, and has achieved an Outstanding BREEAM rating, the first college building in the country to receive the accolade.
The campus is the result of a project first set in motion in 2016, when Greenwich Community College merged with Bromley College and Bexley College to form London South East Colleges, amid concerns over the long-term sustainability of further education provision in Greenwich. That merger led to the Future Greenwich project and a commitment to keep the College at the heart of the community it has served for generations. Additional funding was secured through the Greater London Authority and the Department for Education, alongside sustained partnerships with the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Kier Construction and L&Q.
Throughout construction, students benefited directly from the project through the Kier Careers Hub, which gave learners access to industry professionals, work experience and practical learning opportunities linked to the redevelopment itself.
Dr Sam Parrett CBE DL, Group Principal and CEO of Elevare Civic Education Group, said: “This building is the product of a promise we made to our students and our staff nearly a decade ago: that Greenwich would have facilities equal to the ambitions of the people who learn and work here. Buildings do not transform lives on their own, but our students and staff now have spaces worthy of everything they put into this college, and I could not be prouder of what they have achieved to get us here.”
Stephen Howlett CBE DL, former Chair of Governors, who led the College through the merger that created London South East Colleges, said: “In 2016, this college faced real questions about its future. The decision to merge and to remain in Greenwich was a commitment to this community that further education would continue to thrive here for many years to come. This campus is the fulfilment of that commitment.”
David Eastgate, Chair of Governors, who oversaw delivery of the project, said: “This project was never simply about a building. Even while construction was underway, our students were gaining real industry experience through the site itself. The finished campus represents confidence in Greenwich, in further education, and in the potential of every learner who walks through its doors.”
The new campus will serve thousands of students across a range of academic, technical and vocational programmes, and forms part of London South East College's wider commitment to social mobility and opportunity in Greenwich and the surrounding area.