RWO wins South Tyneside College contract
The Newcastle-based engineers will be supporting principal contractor Castle on the £95m campus project.
South Tyneside College and South Shields Marine School are being relocated from Westhoe to the centre of town, in an effort to regenerate the area.
The college relocation project is a partnership between Tyne Coast College and South Tyneside Council, delivered by Hebburn-based Castle.
Plans for a 15,000 sq ft main building, a riverside student accommodation block, and the refurbishment of a listed building were given the go-ahead in 2023, with work commencing this summer.
RWO will be involved with developing plans and support for the college, specifically around the transformation of the campus accommodation.
In the project, the main building is set to be accessed from King Street, with a double-height glass atrium behind the reception entrance.
A second entrance will be provided along Barrington Street, linking the building to the main campus, and a refurbished grade two-listed building, also on Barrington Street, will house part of South Shields Marine School.
The design will incorporate active frontages with a teaching hair salon and café, helping to animate the high street – when carrying out public consultations, 80% of respondents said they believed moving the college into town would enliven the place.
The main campus will feature marine simulators, and low carbon technology will be incorporated into the build wherever possible.
Landscaping, including tree planting, grassed areas, and a public square, will run throughout the campus site.
Managing director Ross Oakley said: “South Tyneside College is another prestigious contract for us.
“It builds on our previous successes with projects right across the North East and wider national landscape, showcasing our engineering capabilities together with the skills and expertise available in the region to support major investments and detailed design work.”
