Work starts on £22m Cheadle Hulme college building
Eric Wright Construction is delivering the development for the Seashell Trust to provide specialist education facilities for students aged 16 to 25.
The 55,000 sq ft Royal College Manchester building off Stanley Road is expected to be completed in autumn 2025 and will comprise a reception and specialist classrooms along with sports and administration facilities.
Other features include a café, activity hall with an extended climbing wall, fitness suite, rebound room, sensory integration room, and a suite of flexible multi-purpose rooms at ground floor level.
There will be office space above and external landscaping. In total, the £22m building will provide 12 classrooms and six individual teaching spaces at the Seashell Trust’s Cheadle Hulme site.
The trust provides support to young people with complex disabilities and communication needs.
This specially equipped college replaces the previous building which was no longer fit for purpose and lacked space for adaptations needed to accommodate many of the students, some of whom are reliant on wheelchairs and other equipment.
The replacement building has been designed to enable staff and students to move about with minimum restrictions.
James Eager, director lead at Eric Wright Construction said: “We’re really pleased to have started on the delivery of this superb new college building which will really enhance the lives of the students and staff alike.
“The building has gone through a painstaking design and review process in collaboration with the Trust’s teaching team, with every element of its design tailored to meet the needs of the students.”
Brandon Leigh, chief executive at Seashell, said: “Watching the building finally start to take shape is exciting and we can’t wait to see students and staff enjoying the building very soon.
“The new college building will mean improved accessibility for students and will be much better at meeting the needs of the young adults with complex disabilities who come to Seashell. Seeing the building complete will be a monumental point in our history.”
Faulkner Browns Architects, NJL Consulting, Atkins, TEP, Dalcour Maclaren, Street Spirit Design, Hawksmoor Engineering, BWB, Mace, SKTP, UES, and Urban Green are on the project team.
To view the plans, search for application reference DC/089288 on Stockport Council’s planning portal.
