£1.7m refurbishment set to create construction training facility 

Esh Construction has started work to transform an existing factory unit into a Construction Centre of Excellence in County Durham.

Working in partnership with New College Durham (NCD), the £1.7m Promotion House project will see a change of use refurbishment delivered to create a specialised teaching facility for trade subjects.

The building will be remodelled to create a space that includes teaching rooms, breakout areas, changing facilities and a practice area for teaching.

The facility will be used initially for the brick curriculum, but will also house building maintenance, and painting and decorating lessons at a later date.

Andy Broadbent, principal and CEO of NCD, said: “We’re excited to be able to provide another new fantastic teaching space for our students, which will be available from September. 

“It’s really important to us at NCD that the projects we undertake contribute significant social value, and working with Esh for this new initiative means not only do we provide the best learning environments possible but also provide additional value to the community at the same time.”

Esh’s social value team will support the project by delivering a raft of initiatives, including employability and careers sessions aimed to inspire young people to consider a career in construction, offering apprentice training weeks and creating employment opportunities for local residents.