Work Begins on Major Refresh of Construction College Façade

Work has begun on a new look for Leeds College of Building’s (LCB) North Street Campus building. As part of ongoing improvements to its estate, LCB is over-cladding the façade of the building that has been its home since the 1960s.  

In addition to increasing the kerbside appeal of the North Street Campus, the works will provide cohesion with the new branding and identity of LCB’s South Bank Campus.

The most impactful change is the removal of the overhanging entrance canopy. Having been in situ for decades, the old covering is being pulled down and replaced with a glazed canopy in the vibrant green, which is now synonymous with LCB’s South Bank buildings. 

The works have been made possible thanks to a £919,871 allocation from the FE College Condition Allocation (FECCA) fund for essential estates and building improvements. LCB is using the funding towards the façade and refectory improvements at its North Street Campus and for the renovation of a newly acquired building adjacent to its North Street Campus.

Chris Duncan, Vice Principal for Finance & Resource, said:  

“We are so delighted to see the start of our summer works. The exterior of our North Street Campus is going through a major refresh, which will incorporate our new branding signage, a modernised entrance, new landscaping, replacement cladding, and architectural glazing.

“The interior of the building is also seeing a major upgrade, with a total refurbishment of our refectory. These new and improved facilities are going to enhance both the student and staff experience at LCB.

“This is such an exciting time for our college. We’ve just purchased a new building on Byron Street that will significantly expand our ability to deliver high-quality training. As the designated Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC) for Yorkshire and Humber we will play a vital role in Government’s plans to build 1.5 million new homes and progress vital infrastructure projects, both locally and nationally.” 

LCB is renovating the large building on Byron Street, a move that will effectively increase the size of its estate by a third. Once refurbished, the building will align North Street Campus with LCB’s modern South Bank Campus, which opened its South Bank 1 building in 2015, followed by South Bank 2 in 2019.

LCB’s new building will support the CTEC mission of training up to 40,000 more people in high-demand trades by 2029 to tackle construction skills shortages.

The North Street Campus refurbishment is due to be completed in time for the start of the 2026/2027 academic year.