Colchester Sixth Form College new building approved

Colchester Sixth Form College applied to replace its on-site caretaker’s house with a new four-storey teaching building earlier this year, and Colchester Council has now approved the plans.

The new building will be used to teach geography and geology students in nine new classrooms.

The college in North Hill, Colchester, will also receive a new staff room, breakout spaces, and storage areas once works are completed.

Several neighbouring residents wrote to planners to express concerns that the new building could block sunlight from getting to their homes.

College - Colchester Sixth Form (Image: Google Maps)

A daylight and sunlight assessment was completed as part of the application process, concluding that the proposals were compliant with published guidance as 80 per cent of existing levels of sunlight would be retained in the neighbouring gardens.

One resident complained that the size of the building will be “overbearing and not in keeping with the heights of the surrounding houses”.

The sixth form college was founded in 1987, following the relocation of the Gilberd School, which formerly occupied the site.

Its bright students consistently achieve strong A level results and 2023 was no exception.