£8.5m expansion approved for Newcastle College Energy Academy

Plans have been approved for an £8.5m expansion of Newcastle College’s Energy Academy in Wallsend, strengthening training capacity for the North East’s growing engineering and renewable energy sectors.

Approved by North Tyneside Council, the scheme will deliver a new purpose-built education and workshop facility on land adjacent to the existing academy on Hadrian Road, forming part of a wider vision to create an enhanced Energy Campus.

The expansion will significantly increase capacity, with student numbers expected to triple over the next five years. The move comes as demand for skilled workers continues to rise, with offshore renewable energy forecast to generate around 4,500 jobs along the River Tyne over the next decade.

The new facility will focus on specialist engineering training aligned to offshore wind and wider renewable energy sectors, supporting the region’s ambition to become a key hub for clean energy and advanced manufacturing.

Newcastle College works closely with industry partners to address skills shortages and create direct pathways into employment. The expansion will further strengthen this role, with the academy set to offer green skills training from entry level through to post-graduate study.

The project is backed by funding from the North East Combined Authority and will be delivered in partnership with Shepherd Offshore, Elliott Associates, Ryder Architecture and Fairhurst.

Construction is expected to commence in the coming weeks, marking a key step forward in the region’s investment in skills, infrastructure and long-term economic growth.