Northern Regional College’s new Ballymena, County Antrim campus will welcome students this September. It will provide students with a relevant, innovative learning environment, bringing their education to life. The new campus cost £54 million to build. It’s located on St Patrick’s Link Road, which was awarded a £7.5 million investment for improved access. As students begin to settle into their new spaces, they share their anticipation over the amenities tailored to broaden and deepen their learning experiences.
Tia, a 16-year-old education student, is looking forward to beginning her course in childcare at the new campus. She went on to describe the building, which she called “lovely,” “gorgeous,” that it was “done up really well.” Her feelings are indicative of the general excitement shared by students looking forward to moving out of the former Farm Lodge campus. David, an 18-year-old student studying a foundation degree in computing, told us how he’s really enjoying the new facilities.
College President Mel Higgins echoed the college’s dedication to preparing students for success in the modern workforce. Higgins said, “We will continue to engage and listen with everyone involved to realize the amazing potential of the new St Patrick’s Link Road. Our hope is to foster it to become a rich center of activity that builds important, revitalizing bridges far beyond the campus itself.”
Even with all the buzz about the new campus, there has been considerable outcry over the transit access to campus. Yet when developing the new road, TUV MLA Timothy Gaston criticized the failure to plan for alternative transportation modes. He expressed his fears about potential ramifications for both Northern Regional College and future developments if transport issues remain unaddressed.
“Unfortunately they didn’t take into consideration how people will get to and from,” – Timothy Gaston
Gaston warned that if transport barriers continue, students will begin pursuing their education opportunities in other locations. He called for swift action on the issue to make sure students will be able to get to the new campus easily.
East Derry UUP MLA Jon Burrows admitted the transport difficulties but insisted they do not detract from the college community’s many strengths. As he described the work they were undertaking, it was obvious that their focus had to start with the outcomes that a new campus could offer students.
Our students have called our new facility, “professional”, “clean” and “gorgeous”. The once-crumbling Farm Lodge campus has experienced a radical metamorphosis. Today, we are proud to have a state-of-the-art building that brought incredible educational assets to our region.
