At the heart of the community

Merseyside-based Hugh Baird College has opened the doors to a brand new multi-million pound facility, following an extensive building project.

The new ultra-modern L20 Building, based on Stanley Road, opened recently and is designed to drive community and employer engagement while ramping up higher education provision.

Hugh Baird College principal and chief executive Yana Williams said the development would place the educational body at the heart of the community.

The 2,600-square-metre facility includes a dedicated university centre with open-plan study areas and a multi-purpose performance arts space for public events, ranging from school productions to conferences.

Further community-led facilities include a public library, learning resource centre and a café with an outdoor seating area.

Ms Williams said: “This is a really exciting time for the college, signalling our vision and progressive outlook to raise aspirations across the region and engage students with the local community and businesses.

The first floor of the building is being opened for businesses, helping to create an industry-led atmosphere and link students with the workplace.

The second floor will house the university centre, which will be a dedicated place of study for students taking one of the college’s degree programmes.

“The new build will enable us to transform our delivery of higher education in a bid to make it more accessible and affordable for people across the region,” said Ms Williams. “We will now be able to offer a greater depth of degree level courses, certificates in educations and PGCEs, covering areas such as creative arts, health and social care, business management and IT.”