Go-ahead for Hereford art college revamp

Hereford College of Arts (HCA) has been given the go-ahead to create a new £850,000 digital hub at its College Road campus.

The project is one of 15 for the city totalling £22 million under the Stronger Hereford banner, funded by the Government’s Towns Fund for which final approval was given in September.

The initial bid said the project “will turbo-charge the expansion of HCA’s new School of Creative Digital Futures” which will teach animation, games design, virtual reality and other areas of digital innovation.

The plan, which was submitted for planning approval in October, is to revamp existing mid-sixties extensions on the north side of the main grade II-listed Victorian building, which originally housed the Royal College for the Blind, now relocated nearby.

As well as catering for new developments in the curriculum, this will create a “highly visible” new look and will improve the buildings’ energy performance, the application said.

It added that the plan supports its anticipated 100 extra students between the academic years by the end of the decade, with two new courses requiring “up to six” new staff.

Approving the scheme, planning officer Simon Rowles concluded that it accords with county policy, and would not harm the listed building.