THE NEW £24 million Torfaen Learning Zone will open its doors to students as they return from the Christmas holidays, six and a half years after plans were initially submitted.

The development, run by Coleg Gwent in partnership with Torfaen council, will open in the centre of Cwmbran from January 4, 2021.

It will be the home of all English medium A-level education in Torfaen and will also offer the Welsh Baccalaureate and a range of level two and three qualifications.

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The opening of the Learning Zone was due to take place at the beginning of this academic year, however building work was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic - with contractors working at at a reduced capacity to comply with social distancing measures.

Pupils who had been due to start the autumn term at the Learning Zone instead had their in-person teaching at Coleg Gwent's Pontypool campus.

In September 2020, the site was officially handed over to Coleg Gwent staff so the furniture and equipment could be fitted, and the following month, students got their first look inside the new campus.

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Inside the new Torfaen Learning Zone. Pictures: Coleg Gwent.

Principal Guy Lacey said: “We are all tremendously excited in the college about the opening of the new Torfaen Learning Zone in January.

“It will be an amazing place to learn and study and we can’t wait to see our students using it.

“It has been a long process to get here – but in January, thanks to our great partners in Torfaen, we’ll be open.

“The pandemic may have delayed things, but it hasn’t stopped us from getting to the goal of having an amazing new college for all the young people and adult learners of Torfaen.”

Torfaen council had initially submitted plans to the Welsh Government for the Learning Zone in September 2014, and construction began on the site, next to Morrisons in Cwmbran, in 2018.

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Guy Lacey and Cllr Anthony Hunt in November 2018 as the name of the Torfaen Learning Zone was announced. Picture Torfaen council.

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Prospective pupils take a look around the Torfaen Learning Centre in September 2019. Picture: christinsleyphotography.co.uk.

The campus will be fully accessible and will include specialist facilities for pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN).

Cllr Anthony Hunt, leader of Torfaen Council, said: “Torfaen Learning Zone will help secure a more sustainable way of delivering post 16 education in Torfaen.

“Our motivation as always is our learners, and making sure they will be able to access the broadest possible curriculum and quality of provision into the future.”