Project 150 is underway
On Wednesday 29 July the Board of Governors of the Eastbourne College
Charity decided, unanimously, to proceed. The demolition team moved in
on Monday 3 August and the building contractor is scheduled to begin
work in November. The classroom block, pavilion and foyer space are due
to be completed at the end of 2016; the sports centre, dining facilities
and more will be available from September 2017.
Project 150 enables the College to take a giant step forward in a
very short time: 20 years’ worth of development telescoped into two
years. It will deliver five high-quality projects in one and maximise
the use of the College’s central site, at the same time freeing up the
current dining hall site for future development.
Well over an acre of land will be transformed to deliver: 32
state-of-the-art classrooms; a sports centre the equal of any in the
region; a very large dining hall with function rooms and café; a
three-storey pavilion; a foyer attached to the College theatre, a
reception area, a new school shop and plentiful social and exhibition
space.
It will transform the educational experience of boys and girls who
attend the College and it will transform the College’s central site.
And, like the Birley Centre (opened in September 2011), it will
facilitate a great deal of partnership and other activity with schools,
organisations and people (young and older) across the town.
The Charity will fund it from its own resources, fundraising and some
long term, fixed rate borrowing. A great deal of preparatory work has
been done over the past two years and we are confident that this
detailed planning will ensure the College runs as smoothly as ever
during the course of the build phase.
The completion of Project 150 will coincide with the College’s 150th
anniversary, providing both a fitting culmination to the past 150 years
of educating Eastbournians and a superb investment for the next 150.
