A former Wilko store that once stood empty in the heart of Sutton-in-Ashfield has been transformed into a thriving new college campus where hundreds of young people are training for careers in the construction industry.
Plumbing and electrical installation students join Andrew Cropley MBE (sixth, left), Councillor Matt Relph (fifth, left), Benjamin Ekpenyong from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (fourth, left), Gavin Peake (sixth, right), Andrew Stevens (fifth, right), and Darren Atkins (fourth, right) at the new Portland Square campus.
West Nottinghamshire College has officially opened the doors to its new Portland Square construction centre following a £3.1 million redevelopment of the large-scale premises on Outram Street.
College leaders and representatives from Ashfield District Council, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Vaughandale Construction gathered at the campus today (Tuesday 22 September 2026) to mark the completion of the major regeneration project and see first-hand how the once-vacant retail building has been given a new lease of life.
The three-storey facility is now welcoming students and apprentices studying electrical installation and plumbing at levels 1 to 3, providing them with industry-standard practical workshops to gain essential trade skills, alongside modern classrooms and learning spaces.
The new campus accommodates an average of around 280 students each day, rising to as many as 350 on its busiest days.
For many of the young people beginning their studies there, Portland Square will provide the first step towards further training, apprenticeships and employment in the electrical and plumbing industries.
Electrical installation students (from left) Oliwier Pozauc, Ethan Webster and Bohdan Lambert learn to wire sockets in a new workshop.
The campus will also support the college's growing provision in green technologies and the skills required for a changing construction industry, with training zones for ground source and air source heat pumps, photovoltaics and the wiring of electric vehicle charging points for homes set to be created.
Together, these facilities will provide a more effective pathway into qualifications within the building services, renewable energy and low-carbon sectors, helping learners develop the skills needed to progress into these growing areas of the industry.
Its opening represents a dramatic change for the prominent town-centre building, which had stood vacant since September 2023 after Wilko went into administration, leading to hundreds of store closures nationwide.
Ashfield District Council purchased the premises at 1-5 Outram Street in 2025, using funding from its £62.6 million Towns Deal allocation before leasing it to the college on a long-term basis, enabling the former retail space to be brought back into productive use.
Mansfield company, Vaughandale Construction, has carried out the extensive conversion, creating practical workshops, 12 classrooms, staff facilities and student breakout areas across 2,438 m2 (26,242 sq. ft) of space.
The project has also included significant improvements to the fabric and appearance of the building, including replacing all the 1930s windows, roofing works, new ventilation and air-conditioning systems, rendering, repainting and external cladding.
A large external digital screen provides college information such as open days as well as opportunities to promote local businesses and support Ashfield District Council events taking place in Portland Square.
The campus is easily accessible by public transport and is bringing hundreds of students into Sutton each week, making for a livelier town centre during the day while regenerating the local environment.
Rather than providing a large catering facility within the campus, the college is encouraging students to make use of cafés and other food outlets nearby, helping ensure the benefits of the development extend beyond the building itself and support local businesses.
Andrew Cropley MBE, principal and chief executive at West Nottinghamshire College, said: “I’m delighted that, with the support of Ashfield District Council, we’ve been able to seize the opportunity to take this landmark building in the middle of the town and transform it into a superb facility. This will offer great opportunities for local people to develop their skills in a critically important sector and forge worthwhile, high-demand and well-paid careers.”
The electrical workshop contains industry-standard equipment where students train for their future careers.
Andrew Stevens, the college’s head of centre for building services and professional studies in construction, said: “We have a fantastic opportunity to create a brighter future for our learners, local businesses, and the building services industry across the area. Having such a prominent building, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, will enable our tutors to deliver an up-to-date, industry-focused curriculum that challenges and inspires learners to become the very best professionals they can be.
“I look forward to developing strong partnerships with local plumbing and heating, and electrical organisations, working collaboratively to ensure our learners gain the knowledge, skills and experience required to succeed in the workplace. Together, we can help develop the next generation of skilled professionals and ensure they are well equipped to drive our industry forward.”
Councillor Matthew Relf, executive lead member for growth, regeneration and local planning at Ashfield District Council, said: “Wilkos had stood empty for a couple of years now and we are so pleased to be able to bring it back into use. It’s a fantastic space and will make a great new addition to West Nottinghamshire College’s offering.
“This new facility’s town centre location makes it easily accessible by public transport and is already benefitting the town centre, with hundreds of young people spending time and money in Sutton before their courses and over their lunch break.
“Breathing life into the former Wilkos complements the wider work we are doing to regenerate Sutton town centre, including the new and improved Portland Square, and the newly renovated Cornerstone Theatre, all of which are bringing new opportunities and vibrancy into Sutton.”
Darren Atkins, contracts director at Vaughandale Construction, said: “As one of the leading construction companies in the Mansfield and Ashfield area, we’re delighted and proud to have completed this major project in close partnership with West Nottinghamshire College, transforming the former Wilko building in Sutton into a magnificent, high-quality construction facility.
“We’re particularly pleased to be involved in the development of this new training centre, as with our apprenticeship partnership with the college this new facility will enhance and be of tremendous benefit to our local community, inspiring the next generation of young people entering the construction industry, which closely aligns with our company’s social values and ethos.”
Plumbing students (from left) Adam Langton, Bradley Kohut, Adrian Faltynski and Riley Buchanan practise how to bend copper pipe.
Gavin Peake, director of IT, estates and learning resources at West Nottinghamshire College, said: “We are extremely pleased with the partnership with Vaughandale Construction, a local firm that has delivered this refurbishment project on behalf of the college. Together, we have created a first-rate educational building that will enable us to deliver vocational training to thousands of young people in Sutton-in-Ashfield over the coming years”.
The Portland Square campus forms part of the college's wider investment in specialist facilities that equip young people and adults with the practical and technical skills sought by employers across Mansfield, Ashfield and beyond.