Councillors have approved an £8.86 million redevelopment plan for West Nottinghamshire College’s Chesterfield Road campus, marking a significant investment in education and skill development in the Mansfield area.

The redevelopment project, part-funded by £4.3 million in Government Towns Fund cash, aims to transform the existing campus into a state-of-the-art education hub. The current School of Arts building will be demolished, making way for a large new education facility. The iconic Portico entrance will be retained and used elsewhere on the site, and alterations will be made to the historic Ashfield House building.

The new hub will feature a T-Levels centre for vocational courses, targeting a skills gap across the Mansfield area. With 10 classrooms, a library, toilets, a circulation space, a plant room, and additional teaching facilities, the project represents a multi-million-pound investment in Mansfield. The college’s chief executive, Andrew Cropley, emphasized the project’s role in retaining skilled young people in the town and supporting local businesses.

The redevelopment plan also takes into consideration the preservation of the site’s heritage. The committee approved a condition requiring the entrance to be retained, and for all parts of it to be used across the developed campus. Suggestions were made to use the stone from the Portico entrance elsewhere on the grounds, possibly as benches or other features.