New £60m college opens it doors

A new state-of-the-art college campus has opened to students in York.

The £60m York College, on Sim Balk Lane, took nearly two years to build and will cater for some 13,000 students from across North and East Yorkshire.

Its learning facilities include a theatre, restaurant, hair and beauty spa, sports pitches and workshops.

Principal Mike Galloway said: "After more than six years of planning, it is enormously gratifying to see this outstanding building at last in place."

He said: "I am confident that it will enable us to do an even better job with the very diverse group of learners we serve, now and into the future, and that it will play a key role in ensuring York's future economic competitiveness."

The Learning and Skills Council gave £21m of funding for the new college. The rest of the costs were met through the sale of the college's former site in Tadcaster Road.