First image released showing the revitalised Brooklands Mansion
August 2023
Brooklands College and Cala Homes have released the first computer generated image showing how the historic Brooklands Mansion will look once it is refurbished as part of the regeneration of the Brooklands College campus.
The image shows how the Grade II listed building will be re-established as the jewel it once was and converted back into residential use. The Mansion’s historic terraced gardens to the south, that were such a feature in Victorian times, will also be re-created.
In recent years, the Mansion has fallen into decline because it was not suitable for educational use and the College could not afford to maintain it to the standard necessary for a listed building.
The refurbished mansion will also form part of the Brooklands Discovery Trail accessible to the local community with pedestrian and cycle paths reconnecting Brooklands Mansion to Brooklands Museum, by intending to utilise the pair of bridges that cross the railway line between the two sites.
In May 2023, Brooklands College and Cala submitted a planning application to Elmbridge Borough Council seeking permission to comprehensively upgrade the Brooklands College campus in Weybridge. So far, 150 people have written to Elmbridge Council supporting the plans.
Christine Ricketts, the Principal of the College, said:
“We are delighted that the scheme will revitalise the historic mansion on the site. Brooklands has a rich history and I’m proud that these plans will cherish and enhance its unique heritage.”
“These plans are absolutely essential to securing the future of the College. Not only will they put the College on a stable, financial footing; they will upgrade our teaching buildings and provide us with a state-of-the-art campus to provide the highest standards of training and vocational learning.”
John Richards, Land & Planning Director at Cala Homes, added:
“Cala has a wealth of experience working with historic and listed buildings and we look forward to re-establishing the Mansion as the jewel it once was.”
If approved, the scheme will invest £45 million into the College and deliver new homes including 128 affordable homes for local families and a wide range of community benefits including a new Sports Centre, a community hub and public access to 12 hectares of woodland.
The scheme will:
- Upgrade the teaching facilities to create a college of the future that will inspire students and support their learning and skills and enable the college to better serve the needs of the local community;
- Deliver much needed Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision within a new purpose-built SEND facility;
- Deliver a new sports centre and community space for the use of the College and the wider local community;
- Generate revenue for the college to pay off substantial debt owed to the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) in order to secure the college’s long-term future;
- Refurbish and renew the site’s significant listed mansion building, returning it to its historic residential use and securing its maintenance and upkeep for the future;
- Provide 320 new homes of which 40% will be affordable homes providing a mix of rented housing, shared ownership and discounted first homes;
- Open up 12 hectares of woodland for newly accessible public use.
The College offers a wide range of courses notably in STEM (Science, technology Engineering and Maths) including engineering, construction, and healthcare – which makes an essential contribution to the local Weybridge economy.
It provides the local community access to specialist training and vocational learning, alternative education for 14–16-year-olds and specialist provision for those with learning difficulties and disabilities.
The College has strong links with local schools and is also renowned for its high-quality provision, helping students with disabilities or special learning needs realise their full potential.
Why is this development needed?
The College has faced major financial challenges in recent years, following an investigation into subcontracting that uncovered a debt of £25m that is due to the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). A new leadership team is now in place and has worked up this development plan which will repay the debt, thereby safeguarding the future of the college so it can continue to serve the needs of the community and the local economy into the future.
The College has recently agreed a repayment plan for the debt with the ESFA. This formal agreement confirms the ESFA’s support for the college whilst the transformational re-development is progressed. The agreement allows sufficient time (three years) to secure a planning approval and provides assurance to students considering enrolment at the college. The college re-development scheme seeks the minimum amount of residential development necessary to fund both the transformation of the college and the repayment of the debt.
Without the sale of the excess land for residential development, the college would be in an insolvent position, which could result in its forced closure and the land sold to a developer.
