Burnley College has submitted a planning application to Burnley Council for a new, steel-framed workshop intended to expand its bricklaying and construction training provision on the main campus.
Responding to rising youth disengagement
The proposal comes as national and local figures highlight a pressing need for vocational opportunities. Across the UK there are currently around one million 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET). Locally, Lancashire County Council data show that 4.4% of 16- to 24-year-olds in Burnley are classified as NEET — a proportion that has almost doubled in the four years to 2025.
College leaders say the additional workshop will increase capacity in specialist disciplines and support practical, skills-based education aimed at improving employability for young people in the town.
What the development would involve
The new building would be located on the southern end of the main campus, adjacent to the existing construction centre and a temporary workshop. The structure is described in the application as a temporary, steel-framed workshop built on a new concrete slab to provide a suitable working surface for training activities. Part of an existing car park would be taken over, resulting in the loss of four parking spaces.
"The building will be constructed on a new concrete slab to provide a suitable working surface for workshop activities. The structure is designed to be removable, allowing the opportunity to be re-used elsewhere on campus."
The application emphasises the intention that the workshop is removable and could be re-sited on campus in future, mirroring the design and purpose of the college's current temporary facilities.
- Location: southern end of Burnley College main campus, next to construction centre
- Type: temporary steel-framed workshop on concrete slab
- Impact on parking: loss of four spaces
- Purpose: increase bricklaying and practical construction training capacity
Local impact and wider context
Expanding hands-on training capacity is presented by the college as a way to help young people gain the practical skills employers seek and to offer alternate routes into the labour market at a time when central government has signalled a renewed emphasis on vocational education. The timing of the application coincides with national debate about how best to reduce NEET rates and support post-16 transitions.
For Burnley, where NEET rates have risen since the pandemic, additional provision that can accommodate more apprentices and trainees could be an important local response. The college's application does not set out new curricular details in public planning documents, but focuses on the building's design, siting and temporary nature.
Burnley Council will consider the application in due course. Residents and stakeholders will have the opportunity to review the plans and submit representations as part of the normal planning process.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| National 16–24 NEETs | ~1,000,000 |
| Burnley 16–24 NEET rate (2025) | 4.4% |
Further coverage will follow as the planning application progresses and more detail becomes available on how the expanded facility will be used to support apprenticeships and employer engagement in the construction sector.
