Sizewell C’s plans to build a post-16 college on the Suffolk coast have been given the green light by East Suffolk Council.
The College on the Coast and Apprentice Hub will provide space for 150 students, 20-full time staff and drop in space for 50 apprentices.
The two-storey college, facing King George’s Avenue in Leiston, will be delivered in partnership with Suffolk New College and is expected to transform pathways into education and training, removing barriers to further education.
It will provide vocational pathways in engineering, digital skills, business and logistics, supporting both apprenticeships and wider workforce progression.
Its learning spaces will include classrooms, training suites, technical, digital and practical workshops and a lecture theatre.
Nigel Cann, CEO of Sizewell C, said: “This is a big moment for our project, for Leiston, and for young people and adult learners in this part of Suffolk.
“For too long, people here have faced obstacles to continuing their education and training, not least the time and cost of having to commute to institutions much further afield.
“By building a new college right here in Leiston, in partnership with Suffolk New College, we’re removing some of those barriers and creating life-changing opportunities for thousands of people.
“This education campus will not only create the pipeline of talent that our project needs to deliver the best value project for Britain, it will transform education pathways in this area for generations to come.”
Archaeological surveys are set to begin in the coming months, with the main construction phase earmarked for the New Year. Teaching and training is expected to begin in 2027 and will expand throughout the following academic year.
East Suffolk Council also approved an outline application for a Centre of Excellence – a purpose-built training infrastructure for Sizewell C’s project-facing workforce, delivered in partnership with regional academic and training partners – which will be located behind the College and Apprentice Hub.
Alan Pease, Principal and Chief Executive Officer at Suffolk New College, said: “I’m thrilled that we now have planning permission to build the College on the Coast in Leiston.
“This is fantastic news for our communities and for the future of skills in Suffolk.
“Our partnership with Sizewell C will play a vital role in shaping opportunities for local people, and we’re eager to work together to meet the fast-growing demand for specialist training.”
Sizewell C already has partnerships in place with all education providers across the region to support young people to access the opportunities at the new college.
Councillor Nicky Corbett, Mayor of Leiston-cum-Sizewell, said the College on the Coast was a ‘very welcome bonus’ for Leiston and the surrounding area.
“The members of Leiston-cum-Sizewell Town Council are keen to ensure home-grown talent is at the heart of the nuclear industry here in Suffolk,” she said.
“We hope the college will not only provide a launchpad for our post-16 youngsters but will also offer the opportunity for upskilling and retraining for men and women who have an ambition to work both on the construction and also at the plant, once it’s operational.
“Leiston students find our rural location is a barrier to accessing further education and training, so the College on the Coast is a tremendous opportunity.”
Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear added: “Sizewell C is about more than generating clean energy, it’s about creating opportunities that will last for generations.
“This new college will give many people in Suffolk the skills they need to access good jobs and ensure the benefits of Sizewell C are felt across the local community for years to come.”
