A new chapter for education in East Suffolk is set to begin after East Suffolk Council this week approved Sizewell C’s plans to build a new permanent post-16 college and apprentice hub in Leiston.
The College on the Coast and Apprentice Hub will be a single, two-storey building facing King George’s Avenue in Leiston with space for 150 students, 20 full-time staff, as well as drop-in space for 50 apprentices.
Delivered in partnership with Suffolk New College, the college will provide post-16 technical and 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.”
Archaeology is due to begin on the site – on the eastern edge of Leiston – in the coming months, with the main construction phase to commence in the New Year. Teaching and training is scheduled to begin in 2027 and will expand in the following academic year.
East Suffolk Council also approved an outline application for a Centre of Excellence – a purpose-built training infrastructure for SZC’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, 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.”
The news has been welcomed by figures across the region, including Leiston’s newly elected mayor and East Suffolk Council’s Cabinet Member for Energy and Climate Change.
Councillor Nicky Corbett, Mayor of Leiston-cum-Sizewell, said: “The College on the Coast has come as 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. 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. We already have plans to ensure cycle routes and footpaths to the college are in place for its completion, offering a safe environment through to the east of the town for Leiston students. With a state-of-the-art new college to add to our many assets, the town will provide the whole package. Exciting times are ahead for Leiston.”
Councillor Tom Daly, East Suffolk Council’s Cabinet Member for Energy and Climate Change, said: “We are pleased to see planning permission granted for the new education hub in Leiston. Sizewell C is expected to have a significant impact on employment in the area, both during construction and in the long term, creating new opportunities for skills development, training, and apprenticeships.
“Through the Deed of Obligation, the project is also committed to delivering employment, skills, and education benefits for local communities, helping to ensure that local people can access these opportunities and creating a lasting skills legacy that will support future infrastructure and engineering on energy projects across the region.”
Sizewell C already has partnerships and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in place with all education providers across the region to support young people to access the opportunities on the project. With the support of Sizewell C, Kingfisher Schools Trust has established a collaboration between 18 primary and secondary schools in the area. The project also provides a £24m funding commitment to enhance facilities and resources in local colleges, Higher Education, and training providers and improve skills.
Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear said: “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.”
