Construction has officially commenced on the new Stafford Institute of Technology (IoT) in Stafford, UK, with a ground-breaking ceremony. 

IoT managing director Georgina Barnard and partner organisations celebrated the initiation of construction by turning the first soil on the site. 

Construction is being undertaken by Speller Metcalfe, a UK-based building contractor. 

The IoT will be situated off Castle Street, at the centre of the Stafford Station Gateway regeneration scheme. 

This broader development includes plans for a hotel, multistorey car park, new homes, and businesses on brownfield land.  

The overarching scheme moved forward after Stafford Borough Council secured a £20m ($25.36m) government funding bid last year. 

Stafford Borough Council leader Aidan Godfrey said: “It is great to see work get underway on this fantastic new development which forms an integral part of the ambitious Stafford Station Gateway regeneration project.  

“The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology will bring many benefits to the county town - by not only attracting new students, who will be able to enjoy an innovative learning environment, with first-class facilities, but also for our local economy.” 

The latest project, backed by UK Department for Education funding, is expected to be completed in early 2025 and open its doors to learners in September the following year. 

The college predicts a community of more than 3,500 learners by the 2028/29 academic year. 

The new employer-led IoT specialises in higher-level technical programmes. 

The IoT follows the training offerings of Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group, Keele University, Burton and South Derbyshire College, and Axia Solutions.  

The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of key employer partners, including Dell, Hitachi, Siemens, and St Modwen Logistics.