Bradford College opens £6.9 million STEM facility

A multi-million-pound renovation project has transformed a historic Bradford mill into a training hub for STEM higher education.

Bradford College has officially unveiled its revamped Garden Mills building.

The site is home to advanced facilities for science, technology, engineering and mathematics degree-level courses, including digital and ophthalmic disciplines.

The £6.9 million refurbishment was supported by £5.8 million from The Office for Students Higher Education Capital Fund, with an additional £1.1 million contribution from the college.

The five-storey facility, designed by contractors Tilbury Douglas, includes six digital IT labs, a clinical suite, an ophthalmic dispensing suite and industry-standard collaboration and teaching spaces.

Guests at an opening event toured the building before a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Sarah Cooper, Bradford College director of people services, addressed those invited, who included employers from digital and ophthalmic industries such as Specsavers and the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, as well as representatives from Bradford Council and the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

She said: “We are thrilled this incredible new learning environment is now open to our staff and students; it is a wonderful new addition to Bradford College’s estate and the resources available to the local community.

“Garden Mills is an essential part of our estates strategy and perfectly demonstrates our ambition of opening up pioneering student careers that support regional growth.”

Garden Mills is part of a larger £32 million capital investment by Bradford College to create modern, aspirational facilities that equip students with skills for emerging industries and contribute to the region’s economic growth.

Newly-completed T Level spaces in the David Hockney Building feature television and recording studios, a commercial barbering salon and collaborative lecture areas.

Construction of the Future Technologies Centre is also underway.

Scheduled for completion in 2026, the site will focus on low-carbon and digital engineering skills, with £15 million in Department for Education funding and a £2 million college investment.

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