Haverhill building could be used as an education centre if West Suffolk Council proposal is approved

Hot on the heels of committing to a £2 million investment in a town centre building, a council has to turn part of the same premises into an education centre.

West Suffolk Council has applied for planning permission to change the use of part of Provincial House, in High Street, from professional services to the provision of education.

The application follows a decision on December 5 by the district council’s cabinet to invest a further £2 million in Provincial House.

Part of the investment is to help West Suffolk College Personal and Professional Learning Centre (part of the Eastern Education Group) relocate from its current base in Park Road into Provincial House.

The college has to move out of the former Parkway Middle School building because its owner The Unity School Partnership has put it up for sale (see page four for more on this).

The council bought Provincial House in 2019, to help retain a major employer, AXA, in Haverhill and identify an opportunity to use it’s High Street location to encourage footfall and support local businesses.

A planning statement included with the application to West Suffolk Council said: “The proposals will provide a boost to the local economy and encourage growth to the High Street.”

It added: “Overall the proposals would preserve and enhance the significance of the building.

“Any perceived impacts of the proposed works would be outweighed by providing a benefit to the local community and wider economy.”

Proposed works, said the statement, would include the stripping out of existing services with proposed new M&E services, metal stud partitions, fixtures, fittings and generalised decoration/making good.

As part of the £2 million investment, Provincial House would also have smaller, modern business units created for start-up and existing businesses.

Some works have already been completed to improve the building for future uses.

As part of the change of use application, an element of evening classes and some weekend teaching are proposed.

The college would require 15 full-time staff and be open in Provincial House on the following days and times:

Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 9.30pm. Saturday, 7.30am to 5pm. Sunday/bank holiday, 9am to 2pm.