Work is finally underway to create the Margate Digital campus at the town’s former M&S and then Store Twenty One premises – with an open day for prospective students being held next week at the EKC Broadstairs site.
Margate Digital gained a £6.3million allocation from the government’s Levelling Up fund in 2021 to create a digital and education campus with studios, gallery, café and workshops at the former M&S building in Margate.
The Margate Digital project will include 2,000 sq m of industry-relevant training space which will focus on digital technology.
The bid involved using £6,306,078 Levelling Up funding with EKC Group ‘match-funding’ £720,000 plus an additional further education budget for programme delivery and student support.
The M&S building, owned in a joint venture between Thanet council and Homes England, is let to EKC Group on a 125-year, peppercorn rent lease.
The ambition is to inspire a diverse range of people and provide them with the skills to gain employment in the digital and creative sectors.
The project is led by EKC Group, in partnership with Thanet District Council.
The property, formerly occupied by Marks & Spencer, has been empty since 2017. Work has previously been completed to remove asbestos and repair the roof, funded by a £750,000 grant through the government’s Town Deal fund.
Jenner Contractors Ltd were selected to deliver the refurbishments through a competitive tendering process to ensure best value.
There have been delays to the scheme which was earmarked to be completed last year.
However, work has now started and is expected to be completed and the first students enrolled by this autumn.
An EKC spokesperson said: “Work is underway to transform the former M&S department store in Margate into East Kent Colleges Group’s brand-new Margate Digital Campus. This work has been made possible by £6.3m funding from the government’s Levelling Up Fund.
“We’re working closely with Thanet District Council and Jenner Group to transform this derelict building into a vibrant hub for learning, creativity, and innovation known as our Margate Digital Campus.
“The campus will host a variety of creative courses, including a brand-new course in animation, and allow students to access cutting-edge facilities and benefit from real-world industry insights, thanks to the invaluable collaboration with Margate-based animation studio A+C, who has helped co-design our brand-new animation course.”
EKC is hosting a Margate Digital Open Day on Wednesday 25 June, from 4pm, at the Broadstairs College campus.
Visitors will be able to hear from the Principal, speak to industry-expert tutors and explore the facilities that will be on offer at the new campus for digital courses.
There will also be an opportunity to learn about financial services and bursaries,
Courses that will be on offer at the Margate Digital Campus include:
– T Level Content Creation
– Level 3 Diploma in VFX
– Level 3 Diploma in Animation and Illustration
– Level 2 Diploma in Creative Media Production
Pre-register at: https://forms.office.com/e/y1MhjXH3vJ
what is the creative sector another word for , it wouldnt the be arts by any chance would it ?
It has a very wide definition, Peter Checksfield.
When all this was first promoted ,i was under the impression that it was a university level of education, but when you look at the equivalents for the diplomas , it’s just effectively 6th form level education. Previously it was suggested that the campus would attract students to live in the area and bring a new feel with them. Are these courses going to attract 16-19 year olds to live here? Or are they intended to just be additional choices for those in post 16 full time education?
I understood that the building was going to be used for ITC purposes. Is this still the case, or is art moving there instead?
The ambition is to inspire a diverse range of people and provide them with the skills to gain employment in the digital and creative sectors.
And as said when it was announced-no intention of actually having jobs in that industry locally-so a load of money being spent on courses where people will be moving to London, Midlands etc where these jobs actually exist, or they will just end up wiping old people’s bums, serving coffee, or bussing tables at fast food joints for minimum wage.
‘to transform this derelict building into a vibrant hub’
Do these meaningless, arty farty, pretentious buzzwords ever end?
Er, how are those ‘meaningless arty farty’ words fella?
Transform – make a marked change in the form, nature, or appearance of
Derelict – in a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect
Vibrant – full of energy and life
Hub – the effective centre of an activity, region, or network
I mean, if you think that by being accurate and descriptive, something is ‘arty farty’ or ‘pretentious’ I’d suggest you expand your vocabulary.
So, it seems as if it has taken four years plus £7,800,000 of taxpayers’ money to do up a large store and deliver four A level courses in cartoon and games creation. Is this levelling-up? I would have preferred levelling-up of our local roads’ potholes.
Over £7m of taxpayers money for a handful of courses that could easily have been delivered from Broadstairs College which is highly under occupied.
Got to hand it to the College, they really pulled the Council and Government’s pants down with this one.