Dundee and Angus College £265m campus transformation ‘essential’ to future as job cuts looms.

Last year, the institution proposed opening two new campuses in Dundee and Angus, as well as expanding its third site in Gardyne.

Dundee and Angus College says its ambitious £265 million campus renovation plan is “essential” to the institution’s existence, as job losses loom.

Last year, the institution proposed opening two new campuses in Dundee and Angus, as well as expanding its third site in Gardyne.

The college would relocate from its Kingsway site to a new facility at the Wellgate Shopping Centre in Dundee’s city centre. If the proposals come to fulfilment, the Arbroath campus will relocate.

The development of the Abbeygate Shopping Centre property is one of several ideas under consideration.

It is part of a larger initiative to combine education, employment, and support services under one roof. Initial and preliminary estimates indicate that the construction will cost at least £265 million over ten years.

Funding alternatives with a number of partners are being explored, and a variety of options are being considered.

D&A College facing cuts

However, earlier this month, the college announced a series of changes aimed at saving £2.5 million by the end of the academic year. This includes combining departments and lowering the number of courses offered.

The statement came the same week that an Audit Scotland study indicated that the college sector’s funding had been slashed by 20% in real terms over the previous five years.

It also stated that the college employment in Scotland decreased by more than 7% in 2023/24 as savings were sought through voluntary severance agreements.

In an interview with The Courier, college principal Simon Hewitt raised the alarm, claiming that the real-terms cuts were “strangled” the college sector.

Now, in a paper detailing the cutbacks recommendations that The Courier obtained, the institution emphasises the importance of moving forward with the campus plans.

“Alongside the immediate savings plan, D&A College remains committed to delivering its new model of co-located services with public and third-sector partners” , the title of the paper stated.

“This approach, integrating employability, skills, health and community services under one roof, is designed to tackle long-standing inequalities in Dundee and Angus, while maximising value for public money through shared spaces and joined-up provision.”

‘Progressing infrastructure plans urgent’

It said, “Our infrastructure concept is critical to making this paradigm succeed.

“Modern, flexible campuses at Wellgate, Gardyne, and Arbroath are critical to enabling genuine colocation, reducing duplication across agencies, and creating long-term hubs for skills and services.”

“Without investment in this estate change, the college risks becoming trapped in antiquated, fragmented structures that cannot accommodate this new method of working. “This makes progress on our infrastructure initiatives not only desirable, but also vital.

“In the current financial climate, they represent one of the most important opportunities to create a sustainable delivery model for both the college and our regional partners, ensuring we remain able to serve students, employers, and communities effectively into the future.”

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