New £17m college opens doors

There are 12,000 pupils at the new college

A new college has opened on Teesside after seven years of planning and a £17m outlay.

Stockton's Riverside College opened today and will replace the old Stockton and Billingham Technical College.

The new building is on the banks of the Tees at Thornaby, and brings together 12,000 students along with staff on the purpose-built site.

College principal Margaret Armstrong said: "What it means for Teesside is that it has the best college in the country here.

Floor space

"It is in a great position to serve the people of Stockton, Middlesbrough, and Tees Valley."

The college is operating in less floor space than the previous two centres.

But Mrs Armstrong said: "It is not cramped, every inch of floor space is being used for the benefit of students."

The keys to the college were handed over in December 2002 by Prime Minister Tony Blair.