John Laing will provide two college buidings at Station Plaza in Hastings and Ore Valley

John Laing has been appointed as the preferred developer for the £66m Hastings and Rother new college project, East Sussex.

John Laing Projects & Developments, will provide two new college buildings at Station Plaza (Hastings) and Ore Valley.

At the Station Plaza site John Laing will create a centre of vocational and academic learning, combined with 103 residential apartments and extensive underground parking. At Ore Valley it will construct a technology centre, incorporating engineering and construction workshops.

In addition, John Laing will buy the college’s three existing sites, which it will develop as residential developments, and is providing bridging funding to help fund the construction of the new facilities. It has entered into a joint-venture with housebuilder Gladedale to develop the residential apartments while construction of the college buildings will be carried out by Laing O’Rourke.

Jamie Kerr, managing director of John Laing Projects & Developments, said: “This draws together the varied experience of our team combining property development, project management and partnering with the public sector to deliver complex projects on time and to budget."

Financial close is expected in June 2007 and both college facilities are due to open for the September term in 2009.