It will provide a flagship facility at the heart of the Crewe and Nantwich community to serve many generations to come.

Jefferson Sheard’s plans for the £34.6 million building were selected from a design-led tender against some high profile competition.

The company has a wealth of experience and has delivered or is currently in the process of delivering £110 million worth of projects in the further education sector.

Major design projects which the company has masterminded include Sheffield College’s new Castle Campus, which will includes a green roof and wind turbines, and Liverpool South parkway station – a benchmark project for Merseytravel.

South Cheshire College wants to re-build its campus, which was built in the 1960’s, to meet a growth in demand as student numbers continue to rise.

It is currently the sole provider of post-16 education in Crewe and is home to well over 11,000 full time and part time students and 400 staff.

The College is the best in the country, after an outstanding 2004 Ofsted inspection, and as well as gaining Beacon Status it is also rated as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in a Sunday Times survey earlier this year.

College Principal Dr David Collins CBE is excited by the new campus development project and believes it is the way forward for further education in Crewe and Nantwich.

Dr Collins said: “We have been planning the new facility for some time now and the appointment of Jefferson Sheard marks the start of the development project.

“A new campus is needed to prepare the College for the 21st century and create the finest education building in the country.

“We want to raise the staying on-rates in Crewe and deliver a flagship purpose-designed college which matches the excellence in provision.

“Hopefully the new design will inspire our staff and students for many generations to come.”

During the planning process the College identified a series of essential characteristics, including creating a carbon neutral building, which Jefferson Sheard will now implement.

These included creating a carbon-neutral building grouping curriculum areas together in clusters and connecting these areas with lively and exciting social spaces.

Project Architect Claire Ailward said: “The new building is planned around clusters of related disciplines, connected by lively and exciting shared social spaces.

“The aim is to create an open learning environment which will provide a wonderful learning experience.

“Jefferson Sheard Architects are well equipped to implement these the College’s objectives for sustainability having had previous experience of incorporating sustainable features into further education buildings.”

A number of sites were considered for the campus including a new build at Mill Street and a remodel and part new build but it was decided to do a complete new build on the Dane Bank site.

The final proposals and design of the new campus is set to be agreed by the planners and the Learning Skills Council (LSC) in spring 2007 – with the final LSC sign off next autumn.

A contractor will then be selected by tender with building work set to get underway in March / April 2008 working towards a September 2010 opening.

During the initial planning process the College has been working closely with staff, students, head teachers, local officers, politicians and residents to bring the exciting project to fruition.

Dr Collins added: “This is the start of what promises to be the start of a very exciting journey for South Cheshire College.

“Now we have appointed the architects we are on the first step of the ladder and the project can really start to take shape.