Overview

Three campuses across London have been transformed during a seven-year partnership between LocatED, the Department for Education and Morley College, creating modern education facilities serving diverse communities. In North Kensington strong community voices lobbied for a modern college which serves the community around it. At the Chelsea Centre, modern educational needs had to be balanced with historic preservation. While in Waterloo vital energy efficiency and accessibility issues were delivered while maintaining the architecture and artistic character of the building.

Challenges

All of the projects happened while maintaining education provision throughout.

North Kensington

Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, the former Kensington and Chelsea College struggled with poor performance and financial difficulties. Community groups including ‘Grenfell United’ and ‘Save Wornington Road Campus’ fought to retain education services.

Hortensia Road

The Chelsea Centre for Creative Industries needed refurbishment to deliver modern educational needs while respecting the historic preservation of the building.

Waterloo

The 100-year old building on Westminster Bridge Road needed infrastructure upgrades and insulation to improve energy efficiency while its performance space required improved accessibility in addition to upgraded acoustics and heating.

Solutions

North Kensington

Collaboration between LocatED and cross-government teams and local communities secured the site’s future. The DfE acquired the freehold, granting a lease to Morley College London. LocatED led on the completion of the complex acquisition, secured planning permission, and oversaw the design and construction with Morgan Sindall and Mace.

The project was delivered in phases whilst the college remained operational. By April 2022, students moved into new classrooms on the second and third floors. The transformed campus now features a welcoming glass-fronted café, multi-use community hall, refurbished science labs, computer rooms, art studios, an enterprise hub, and soundproofed radio studios.

Hortensia Road

The Chelsea Centre for Creative Industries was transformed with new large studio spaces offering views over London, alongside refurbished classrooms equipped with smartboards throughout and enhanced cooling and ventilation.

Custom-designed spaces accommodate specialist equipment including industry sewing machines and 3D printers. IT-heavy courses such as Media and Esports benefit from purpose-built studios, whilst an expanded Morley Radio suite includes a separate production room.

The historic Carlyle Building received sensitive upgrades. The spectacular “Thinking is Living” vaulted room became a flexible library and learning resource centre. New Student Services facilities, including Additional Learning Support, were created with easy access from this heritage space. A new studio complements existing sculpture, printmaking and fine art facilities.

Waterloo

The final phase at 61 Westminster Bridge Road received £5.8 million from the DfE’s Further Education Capital Improvement Fund. Working with Overbury and architect 5plus, the project focused on energy efficiency as part of Morley’s drive to achieve net zero by 2040.

The roof was given much needed insulation, while the much-cherished Emma Cons Hall, the Centre’s main performance space, was sensitively modernised with upgraded acoustics, heating systems and improved accessibility. The adjoining Johnny Harris Studio Theatre also received a new contemporary entrance and accessibility improvements.

These works created flexible, multi-purpose performance spaces serving students on performance and theatre courses whilst hosting community shows and events. The project preserved the architecture and artistic character that make the Centre special for adult learners, visitors and partners.

Impact

Each campus tells part of a story about resilience, collaboration and educational transformation. North Kensington demonstrates community advocacy’s power. Hortensia Road showcases sensitive heritage modernisation. Waterloo proves strategic investment can preserve history whilst delivering sustainability.

The completion represents more than building refurbishment – it embodies commitment to communities and recognition that education breaks down barriers to opportunity. These facilities will now serve the diverse learning needs of generations of students and reposition Morley College London with world-class facilities spanning vocational workshops to performance spaces. All this whilst providing sustainable, accessible infrastructure for excellence in further education.

This has been a significant journey from strategic asset management and estates optimisation through design and delivery of some significant projects enhancing the educational environment. It has been great pleasure working with the Morley and DfE teams to create a lasting legacy for the communities who use and enjoy the teaching andcommunity opportunities at the three campuses.

The North Kensington project won a Judge’s Choice Award at the Government Property Awards 2022, recognising it as an exemplar of effective partnership between government agencies, communities and educational providers.