Leeds College of Building Secures £919,871 for Campus Renovations
Leeds College of Building (LCB) is set to receive £919,871 in government funding as part of a broader initiative aimed at enhancing educational facilities across Yorkshire and the Humber. This funding comes from the FE College Condition Allocation (FECCA) fund, which is distributing a total of £30 million among 18 colleges in the region.
The allocation for LCB will be directed towards the renovation of a newly acquired building located adjacent to its North Street Campus. This 5,000 m2 site on Melbourne Street will expand LCB’s estate by a third, representing a significant investment in the college’s future development.
LCB has recently been recognised as one of only 10 Construction Technical Excellence Colleges (CTEC) in England for the academic year 2025-2026. The new facility will play a crucial role in the CTEC initiative, which aims to train an additional 40,000 individuals in high-demand trades by 2029, addressing ongoing skills shortages in the construction sector.
Rob Holmes, Vice Principal at LCB, expressed enthusiasm about the funding, stating: “We’re delighted that this funding brings us a step closer to renovating our newly acquired CTEC building, helping us address critical regional skills gaps. This investment is key to creating a specialist training environment in priority areas such as infrastructure, sustainability, and groundwork.”
Holmes further emphasised the importance of LCB’s role in the construction industry, noting, “As one of the country’s only Construction Technical Excellence Colleges, we play a vital role in strengthening the workforce that will keep both the construction industry and the wider economy moving forward. FECCA funding will enable us to develop the facilities needed to achieve this.”
Skills Minister Jacqui Smith highlighted the significance of the investment, stating: “The young people in these colleges are the engineers, bricklayers and designers of the future, and they and the dedicated staff teaching them deserve the best possible environment to learn and succeed. This £30 million investment will repair and modernise facilities across all 18 colleges in Yorkshire and the Humber, giving young people the spaces they need to build the skills they need for good careers, helping to drive economic growth.”
The FECCA fund allocation for the 2026/2027 academic year has seen an increase of £5 million compared to the previous year, following calls from colleges for a stable annual funding source to maintain and improve their facilities. In the previous funding cycle, LCB utilised its allocation to enhance the facades of its North Street Campus and upgrade the college refectory.
This latest funding is part of a larger £1.7 billion investment from the Government’s Industrial Strategy, aimed at modernising college buildings by 2030.
