Construction of a new multi-million pound Learning and Skills Centre for Lambeth College, London’s first career college, has been completed by GRAHAM Construction.

The centre has been named the ‘Henry Thornton Building’ and is the £8m second phase of a £12m redevelopment project at the college’s Clapham campus. It includes new classrooms, a sports hall and gym, as well as a nursery. The new facilities, which are located behind the existing college, covers 3,972 sq m in steel framed structure, with a concrete roof clad with a single-ply membrane, curtain walling and a black and white brick façade.

Replacing the college’s old buildings provides a more modern educational environment with facilities that will support curriculum areas such as sport, travel and tourism, health and early years, adult skills, and ESOL (English for Speakers of other Languages). Aimed at 14-19 year olds, its objective is to ensure that young people have relevant skills to equip them for the workplace.

Shaun Orrell, Lambeth College’s acting principal and Vice Principal for Finance and Business Planning said: “We formed a good partnership with GRAHAM Construction. What impressed us was that the development came in within budget and ahead of schedule.

“We have high-quality buildings that our learners, staff and our community in Lambeth deserve. We appreciate the fact that our learners are already saying that they like the building while our staff are saying that it is helping them to focus more on learning and hands on practical assessment.”

Rob Joyce, GRAHAM Construction’s London office director added: “Over the course of 50 weeks we have constructed state-of-the-art learning and training facilities designed specifically to meet the college’s £8m budget and its brief to accommodate new courses, as well as allowing it to expand its offer within the further education sector. This collaborative approach has resulted in a leading centre for education in South London delivered, to the agreed price, two weeks early.”

The centre is now open to students.