"Positive update" says council with 'strong interest' in redundant Doncaster rail college

The Lakeside HQ, which opened just six years ago, shut this summer, with Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones blaming its shutdown on the Government.

The council has confirmed that talks are ongoing with education providers for a new use for the building, which opened as the National College for High Speed Rail and was later named the National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure (NCATI).

In a post entitled “a postive update,” Coun Lani-Mae Ball, Cabinet Member for Early Help, Education, Skills and Young People, said: "Since Cabinet considered an update report in July, we have been working hard to find a partner for the site that would be true to its original purpose - deeply rooted in skills, training and learning.

"We are determined to continue this educational use of the site and have been having a range of discussions with those potential partners.

"I am pleased with the positive nature of the conversations and we have had very strong interest. I hope to share further news as soon as we conclude negotiations.

“It is very encouraging that this site is an attractive proposition to develop a new and exciting offer which supports local strategic plans for skills and economy and on the back of the news around a second UTC in Doncaster further underlines our commitment to grow and develop a range of opportunities in our city.”

The college, which was built to train the next generation of engineers to work on HS2 projects, closed after struggling to remain sustainable, with the loss of 40 jobs.

Earlier this year, Mayor Jones blamed the closure on the Government and said: "Northern Powerhouse Rail was originally put forward in 2014, before being scaled down by Boris Johnson, then a promise of the scheme in full by Liz Truss, then scaled back yet further by Rishi Sunak, bringing us to where we stand now, with the HS2 eastern leg stopping in the West Midlands.

"Doncaster and wider Yorkshire are set to gain absolutely nothing from HS2, yet the blight on communities including the Shimmer Estate in Mexborough remains in place.

She said: “It is undeniable that the lack of consistency in government railway investment has hindered NCATI since it opened.

“I do not want to see NCATI as an empty building for long, therefore Doncaster Council have offered to step in to secure its future with a new education and skills offer that works for Doncaster.

The purpose-built campus near the city’s iPort rail freight terminal opened in 2017, but struggled to attract high student numbers, partly because rail engineering firms were unable to finalise apprentice numbers until HS2 contracts had been awarded.

The college was taken over by the University of Birmingham in 2021 when it was renamed the National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure.

Around 170 students were transferred to complete their training courses at other providers.