Durham architects appointed to key role on major town centre campus for Kendal College

Sinead Kay and Dave Pickersgill inspect progress at the new state-of-the-art Kendal College campus, Westmorland shopping centre

Durham-based architectural practice, Howarth Litchfield, has been appointed to the third phase in a unique staged development of the Westmorland Shopping Centre in Kendal to create a state-of-the-art campus for Kendal College.

Renowned for its extensive experience of working on transformational further and higher education schemes, Howarth Litchfield’s appointment follows a competitive tender process operated by the Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) framework, which saw the firm secure maximum marks for quality.

The CPC is a UK-based charitable purchasing organisation providing compliant frameworks and expert support to educational institutions and public sector organisations, helping them save time and money and ensure regulatory compliance.

This latest project adds to the firm's portfolio in the northeast education sector, which includes high-profile work for New College Durham and Derwentside College.

Technical director at Howarth Litchfield, Dave Pickersgill, explains how the college has seen a dramatic surge in student numbers over recent years.

“These works are required to address the urgent need for more space,” he said. “Between 2001 and 2021, the number of full-time learners aged 16–18 tripled from 405 to over 1,300, reflecting the growing demand for Kendal College’s education and training provision across Cumbria and beyond.

“I believe the new Westmorland campus will ultimately accommodate around 450 students who will benefit from a range of specialist spaces and facilities and we are delighted to be able to carry on the good work already undertaken to date during phases one and two."

Once the upper floors of the shopping centre were vacated, the college took over the leases of the first-floor shop units and second-floor storage areas to convert the space into an additional campus, which is now open and operational.

A campus in the heart of the town

Key features of the Phase 3 refurbishment include:

· The Atrium – which has been transformed to create a new heart of the college.

· Specialist facilities - construction of digital media & performance spaces, IT hubs, and a mock health ward.

· Student infrastructure – a new reception and student entrance, new staffrooms, and solutions to complex accessibility issues.

While the upper floors have been transformed, the ground floor will remain an active retail environment, with tenants such as Greggs and O2 continuing to operate.

Project Timeline and Challenges

Howarth Litchfield is currently working at RIBA Stages 3/4. The project will be delivered in three phases with multiple sectional completions. Some facilities are expected to be ready for the September 2026 academic year, with further handovers in December 2026 and a final completion target of Easter 2027.

Mr Pickersgill continued: “The project is not without its challenges as we will be working within a "live" environment, managing construction above an operational shopping centre and alongside an active college campus with access for building works being managed through repurposed service routes originally used by the retail units.

Sinéad Kay, Chief Operating Officer & CFO at Kendal College, noted that the firm’s appointment was based on its ability to deliver high-quality design that fits the college’s specific educational needs. She added: “We are committed to cementing the college's place at the heart of the town and its community and contributing to the social and economic rejuvenation of the area.

“We are delighted with the way that the project is progressing and look forward to being able to offer our students a high-quality environment to study in, which complements the popularity and success of our Milnthorpe Road Campus and Arts and Media Campus whilst improving staff and social areas across all three sites.”