Two NI Further Education colleges receive £5m boost

Further Education Colleges at Limavady and Larne are to benefit from a £5 million capital funding package.

The funding was announced by Minister for Employment and Learning Carmel Hanna, during her visit to Limavady FE College. The Minister confirmed that a total of £5 million has been set aside to fund its new campus block and to rebuild the Larne Campus of the East Antrim Institute of Further and Higher Education.

Limavady will get £3.5 million to enable the College to replace currently leased or temporary classrooms with a new satellite campus.

Carmel Hanna said: "I am delighted to announce that I am making available over £5m to progress these projects at the Limavady College and the East Antrim Institute. This announcement represents a further step in the renewal of the estate of the further education sector - a sector that has seen its estate deteriorate significantly over recent years.

"The accommodation needs at Limavady and Larne have been of great concern to my Department for some time now and this capital funding allocation will greatly improve the capacity of both colleges to meet the future education and training needs of the economy and workforce.

"The provision demonstrates my Department’s commitment to the further education sector, and I look forward to the successful delivery of both projects."

Earlier, the Minister was welcomed to Limavady FE college by its Director, Dr Anne Heaslett, and senior management team, who accompanied her on a tour of the existing facilities on the North West campus.

The new funding will enable Limavady College to begin phase one of developing a new satellite campus to accommodate Electronic, Motor Vehicle and Electronic & Mechanical provision.

The new building will also accommodate Construction training and will provide in total over 3000 square metres of new accommodation at an estimated cost of £3.5 million.

The Governing Body of the East Antrim Institute took the decision to close its Larne campus at the end of June 1999 and to make alternative short-term arrangements to ensure continuity of FE provision in Larne. Work is due to commence on a new £1.5 million replacement building at its existing Pound Street site in Larne.

(SP)