The Works at the Whittingham Road Campus of Halesowen College has been an on-going programme over the past five years.
Block 9 was completed in January 2012 and contains Animal Welfare, IT and Science Department‘s on the lower ground floor, ground floor and first floor respectively. This building is designed to straddle a 5m change in levels from the front to the rear elevations by means of the lower ground floor only partially filling the building footprint, and by the substructure retaining the earth under the unoccupied portion of the building. This block encloses a semi private courtyard at the lower ground floor level containing a duck pond, an aviary and rabbit hutches. The other side of this courtyard is formed by block 10.
Block 10 was completed in December 2012 and is a simple rectangular building, three storeys high, of similar construction to block 9. On the lower ground floor the Students with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities facility is located. This can access the courtyard shared with the Animal Welfare Department. On the ground floor level is a state of the art Active Learning Centre, and on the first floor there are five classrooms for Hotel and Tourism. Because the building is of narrow width, it is naturally ventilated throughout.
Block 11 and the court yard landscaping linking the new Blocks was completed March 2014 this is now the ‘Social Hub’ of the Campus. The Ground Floor includes the relocated college shop, as well as a new coffee shop and Social Learning Centre. This block sits opposite the Refectory and the two buildings together form a new focal point on the campus, being a vibrant outdoor meeting place. The First Floor includes a Teaching rooms, and staff centre which has a good vantage point over the square. The Lower Ground Floor of this block houses the boiler room and refuse store, which are in an ideal location to be serviced by vehicles from the car park at the rear of the campus. The car park at this point has been redesigned to include a turning head for these service vehicles.
Further to the completion of Phase 1 & 2, BM3 have also completed a New MUGA pitch and tennis courts along with New Changing Facilities for the Sports department.