Willmott Dixon has been appointed to build a landmark new campus for the College of North West London, part of the United Colleges Group, at Wembley Park, a £92 million project that will place a new education facility at one of the capital’s most iconic addresses.
Secured via the Southern Construction Framework, the development will deliver a state-of-the-art teaching and learning facility on Olympic Way, Wembley Park, bringing a high-quality, inspirational learning environment to one of London’s most celebrated and recognisable destinations.
The project directly supports United Colleges Group’s Estate Strategy and Brent Council’s ambition to establish an educational quarter within Wembley, contributing to the wider, long-term regeneration of the area. A long-disused building will be transformed into a vibrant hub of education and community life, situated steps from the national stadium.
The new eight-storey building will provide 14,200m² of internal area, designed around three stacked horizontal volumes. Specialist vocational workshops occupy the lower floors, a central student hub opens onto a landscaped deck with views over Wembley Way, and teaching spaces sit above. A central atrium threads through the full height of the building, connecting every floor and filling the interior with light and openness.
The campus will house a wide range of specialist facilities, from bricklaying and joinery workshops to hairdressing salons and science laboratories, alongside generic teaching spaces, a dedicated Learning Support department, and generous shared social areas. Inclusive design is central to the brief, with integrated and expanded provision for Learners with Learning Disabilities or Difficulties (LLDD) and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) woven throughout the building from the outset.
The new campus will play a meaningful role in developing the talent the UK needs to grow its economy and reach net zero. By expanding provision in construction, engineering and green skills, the college will be better placed to equip the next generation of workers with the practical expertise that employers are seeking in Brent, across London and beyond.
The project is targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating, reflecting Willmott Dixon’s commitment to sustainable construction and responsible delivery. Construction will complete in Spring 2029.
The appointment adds to Willmott Dixon’s growing portfolio of further and higher education projects. Recent schemes include the £48.8 million School of Business and Management for Queen Mary University of London and the Information Teaching Laboratory retrofit at the university’s Mile End campus, a new student village for the University of Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent, and a new town centre campus for Bridgend College in South Wales.
Simon Ramage, Managing Director, London & East, at Willmott Dixon: “Winning the contract to deliver this landmark project for the College of North West London is a real privilege. This is about more than a building - it’s a place of opportunity for generations of students to come, equipping them with the skills that matter. We look forward to working closely with the college to deliver a facility that is truly worthy of the ambitions of everyone who will learn there.”
Stephen Davis, CEO & Group Principal of United Colleges Group: “Today is a significant milestone for the college and for Wembley. This new campus on Olympic Way will place students at the heart of one of London’s most iconic locations, providing modern facilities to support future skills in areas including construction, digital and green technologies, as well as a hospitality academy, in line with local and national priorities. It also ensures that our 130-year legacy in Brent continues for generations to come, transforming a disused building into a place of opportunity and ambition for London and Londoners.”
