A Construction Centre of Excellence will open to students this month after Esh Construction completed a £1.7 million refurbishment project at Promotion House in Langley Moor.

The North of England contractor has transformed an existing factory unit into a new learning space to create a specialised teaching facility for New College Durham’s trade subjects.

The refurbishment has seen the building remodelled to create teaching rooms, breakout areas, changing facilities and a practical area for teaching. A mezzanine level has been created above the teaching space which houses the mechanical plant for the facility.

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Grant Watson, Construction Manager for Esh, said: “The Promotion House refurbishment has strengthened our relationship with New College Durham. We are proud to play our part in providing new learning environments for the next generation of construction workers. We are confident that the trade-specific elements the new facility brings will inspire young people to explore a range of key career pathways.”

The new Construction Centre of Excellence will be used to accommodate the growth in construction trades as the college reopens its doors this month for the 2024-25 academic year. The building has been designed and built to provide options for further development in the future.

Andy Broadbent, Principal and CEO of New College Durham, commented: “It has been a privilege to work alongside Bowburn-based Esh Construction on this project, it has once again shown that there is no lack of skills in our region when it comes to planning and construction. “

As part of Esh’s Constructing Local strategy, 99% of the workforce employed on the project were from the North East, while Building My Skills, Digital Ambassadors and Construction in the Curriculum employability sessions have been delivered to schools across County Durham, engaging more than 1,400 students.