A NEW multi-million pound college in Berkeley will not open in September as initially hoped.

Health and safety concerns have delayed the planned opening of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College’s (SGS) Berkeley Green site for a year.

It was initially hoped that the £5million mechanical and electrical engineering facility would open in September this year with the adjoined £14million university technical college (UTC) opening in September 2017 but the college has been told it would not be possible to occupy a building next to a building site.

The two centres, which will share facilities, will now both open in September 2017.

In a statement, a spokesman for the college said:

“SGS College is delighted that the SGS Berkeley Green site has now attracted capital investment of almost £20m and that investment will provide students with some of the best facilities in the region.

“The College was planning to open the new Mechanical and Electrical Engineering facility at Berkeley in September 2016 but then investment was secured to build a new £14m University Technical College (UTC) right beside this training centre.

“The UTC facility will open in September 2017 for learners aged 14-18 studying Engineering and Digital Technologies.

“Because of the UTC build programme, we have been informed that for health and safety grounds it would not be possible to occupy a building next to what would be an active building site and we will need to delay moving to the site until September 2017.

“The two projects will share common areas, both from a learner support, administration and delivery perspective.

“All provision, both the College’s and the UTC’s will now commence at the same time in 2017 utilising shared resources.

“Part-time adult provision, professional courses and some apprenticeship delivery will be available on campus in alternative locations from late 2016.”