ISG Appointed on £10.8 Million Devon College Scheme

The new facilities will create realistic working environments for students across a range of disciplines including, engineering, manufacturing, automotive engineering, beauty therapy, hospitality, hairdressing and tourism.

The project sees ISG construct a three-storey steel-frame Lifestyle and Tourism training centre, which will house both teaching accommodation and commercially focussed businesses. The new facilities are focused on enabling students to practise the skills they need in a real world environment. The project also involves the construction of a new bespoke engineering facility, along with refurbishment works to the automotive curriculum areas.

The Lifestyle building is targeting a BREEAM Excellent environmental performance rating and incorporates roof-mounted photo voltaic panels to generate electricity and a living green roof. The building has a contemporary design with composite and rain screen cladding panels, as well as extensive areas of curtain walling to its façade. A spacious central atrium forms the main reception area with large roof lights maximising the volume of daylight entering the space and a feature staircase and lifts provide access to all three levels.

ISG will fit out the ground floor as a health and beauty treatment facility with a nail bar, sauna, solarium and hairdressing salon, along with associated teaching areas. The ground floor will also accommodate back of house office accommodation, shower and changing facilities. The first floor has been designed with a conventional classroom layout while the upper level features a fully functioning restaurant with commercial kitchen, as well as two training kitchens. The facility will also boast a variety of services for both students and the general public. The restaurant also includes an outdoor terrace area with extensive views across Barnstaple and the Taw Valley.

The new steel frame bespoke engineering facility incorporates high-tech CAD facilities, electronics design and assembly, a fabrication and welding workshop, CNC and manual machining and a bench fitting workshop. To upgrade the automotive engineering department, ISG will refurbish the existing workshop with replacement roller shutter doors and construct a new link corridor between the existing structure and the new build element of the scheme, which will also form the department’s new reception.

Alan McCarthy-Wyper, managing director of ISG’s Construction business, commented: “This project represents a major investment by Petroc to significantly upgrade and enhance its learning environments and truly connect vocational training to workplace experience. There is a core focus on the energy performance and sustainable credentials of the new accommodation, and we are delighted to be working closely with the College to deliver these innovative new facilities that will prove transformational for generations of students.”