Estates Developments

Torfaen Learning Zone is part of the Welsh Government 21st Century Schools and Colleges programme. Managed and run by Coleg Gwent in partnership with Torfaen County Borough Council, the £24 million development replaces three English medium school sixth forms in the borough and will be home to all A Level education in Torfaen.

The new campus brings further education services together under one roof for Torfaen. Offering a wide range of courses including academic, vocational and university level qualifications, there’s something suitable for all ages and types of learners, including the Welsh Baccalaureate. Following a similar model to the Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone in Ebbw Vale, the building is fully accessible and includes specialist facilities for pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN).

The campus is bright, light and airy with modern amenities and facilities – an ideal environment for learning and inspiring young minds. Designed with its environmental impact in mind, the Learning Zone’s is situated in a prime location next to the Morrisons store in the town centre, making it easily accessible for learners and staff, with excellent links to public transport and local facilities.

With a growing need for STEM knowledge and skills in the local economy, it’s Coleg Gwent’s ambition to educate the workforce of the future in a dedicated facility where learners will be surrounded by innovation and technology reflective of industry. Our new High Value Engineering (HiVE) Centre in Ebbw Vale is due to open at the former Monwel factory site in 2023.

In partnership with Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, Welsh Government, Tech Valleys, and education, we’re planning an £8.5 million investment in an Advanced Engineering Centre close to our Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone campus, which will offer high-quality engineering education to equip young people with skills for the future.

The project is currently in the planning and design phase, with a view to begin construction of the centre of excellence in the summer of 2022. We plan to create a state-of-the-art, carbon-neutral and entirely digital education facility, training the future workforce in advanced engineering disciplines such as robotics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, autonomous manufacturing, simulation, and augmented reality. The curriculum will be designed and led by industry experts, delivering new courses at levels 3, 4, 5 and 6, bringing excellence and expertise to the area and boosting the local economy.

Bringing together industry and education in high-value engineering, the HiVE Centre will offer research and development opportunities for industry partners, and it will be a base for school and employer outreach programmes, benefiting the wider community.

Our City of Newport Campus located on Nash Road requires significant investment to educate the workforce of the future to the highest standard and provide excellent teaching and learning facilities. Newport County Borough Council have announced a regeneration proposal to relocate the Newport Centre to a new leisure centre site on the Riverfront, with the current Newport Centre site being developed into a new Coleg Gwent campus and forming part of the Newport Knowledge Quarter.

This provides us with the opportunity to create a brand-new, modern and fit-for-purpose facility in a more accessible location for our learners and staff. The £90m state-of-the-art college campus will relocate the provision of a wide range of further education courses from Nash Road, bringing around 2,000 students and staff into the city centre. This enhanced learning environment will be close to the University of South Wales campus – the city’s existing higher education provision – forming the Newport Knowledge Quarter.

The brand-new city-centre education facility will offer more accessible learning opportunities to improve educational outcomes and community resources in the area, while also boosting the local economy and increasing footfall in the city centre.