Community engagement activities around the relocation of South Tyneside College and South Shields Marine School have been growing in momentum since commencement of the build stage.
The programme has a key focus on relationship building with schools, young people and students studying at the college and this is set to grow during 2026.
The relocation project is a partnership between Tyne Coast College and South Tyneside Council; delivered by award-winning construction company Castle. It is being funded by Tyne Coast College, the North East Combined Authority as part of North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’ drive to revitalise high streets, Department for Education and UK Government.
Year Two, T-Level students studying Building Services Engineering for Construction at South Tyneside College, were the first construction students to be welcomed on site. They were given an overview of Castle, a tour of the works, learned of the construction activities undertaken to date and those planned for the coming months as the project progresses.
The company has also engaged with South Shields community centre, Ocean Road Centre, inviting its youth group to meet members of the build team and take part in a presentation about the new college, which is currently at the early stage of construction.
Through its relationship with Ocean Road Centre, Castle has reached out to South Tyneside-based community choir, Choirmaster, who sang carols at the site of the new college in the run up to Christmas.
Castle has also been building momentum with the business community. Operations director, Chris Meadowcroft, made a guest appearance on a Business Talks podcast, led by Invest South Tyneside and held at One Trinity Green. Chris outlined his own career story, the rapid growth taking place at Castle and the lifecycle of the college relocation.
The relocation will create a 15,000 sq. metre campus on King Street, South Shields. It will also include the repair and upgrade of the listed building on Barrington Street and the conversion of the former BT building into student accommodation.
Castle and the college are also supporters of the South Tyneside Pledge, coordinated by the council, and based on a commitment by organisations in the borough to boost the local economy by working together and providing opportunities for local people.
During 2026, site tours will be scheduled with community groups, local businesses and key sector bodies. A range of other community initiatives are planned to include Castle as headline sponsor at the Best of South Tyneside Awards in March 2026.
Craig Muldoon, Castle divisional director, Build, said: “In partnership with Tyne Coast College and South Tyneside Council, we are committed to engaging closely with the local community. Together with the college, we are exploring ways to support its students during the lifetime of the project, including work experience.
“Engagement with schools and youth groups in the borough is a priority. At a time when the construction sector is facing a skills crisis, working with the college, we want to inform young people as to the variety of amazing career opportunities available in construction and what better way to do that than by showing them the fantastic new education facility being built in the centre of South Shields.
“We have a dedicated stakeholder and community engagement website in place, with information on the college relocation project, our suppliers, stakeholders, the most recent news and videos as well as various procurement packages. As far as we can, we want to ensure companies in the borough have the opportunity to be involved in this project.”
Dr Lindsey Whiterod CBE, Chief Executive of Tyne Coast College, said: “Moving into the heart of South Shields is a major milestone for our college and community. Our new campus will offer world-class facilities in a vibrant town-centre location, creating opportunities that raise aspirations and support local growth.
“We’re delighted to be working with Castle, whose commitment to community engagement reflects our shared ambition to create an inspiring learning environment that truly changes lives.”
Cllr Tracey Dixon, leader of South Tyneside Council, said: “It’s great to see Castle’s commitment to engaging with the community as they work on this landmark project.
“By opening up opportunities for young people, supporting local organisations and championing the South Tyneside Pledge, Castle is helping to ensure that the benefits of this investment stay right here in our borough. This is about more than bricks and mortar – it’s about building lasting relationships and creating opportunities for our residents and businesses.
“It’s so exciting that we can see the physical changes happening in the town centre as the campus starts to take shape.
“This project has taken years of planning and preparation and is the cornerstone of our regeneration ambitions for South Shields.
“Everything came together in 2025, culminating in the project starting on site, and there are plenty more milestones ahead in 2026, including work beginning on the student residence.
“But it’s about more than just a build, it’s about diversifying the hight street and bringing thousands more people into the town centre, boosting the local economy.”
For further information on the new build and to sign up to receive regular updates, please visit: https://www.stc.ac.uk/new-build/. Progress can also be viewed at the Castle Stakeholder and Community Engagement website. www.castlecommunity.co.uk