A leading further education college in north Wales has secured a £7 million funding package to support the development of a landmark net zero facility and build new student accommodation.
Coleg Cambria is one of the UK’s largest further education providers, offering teaching that bridges the gap between education and employment to communities across Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire. To cater to growing demand, it has invested in new facilities at its Llysfasi agricultural campus in Denbighshire, helping to enhance its offering for agricultural learners.
Formed in 2013 through the merger of Deeside College and Yale College, Coleg Cambria operates across five campuses and employs around 1,400 staff. The college supports approximately 6,500 full-time and 20,000 part-time students – including 2,500 apprentices – offering courses ranging from GCSEs and vocational qualifications through to degree-level programmes.
The seven-figure funding from Lloyds has supported the development of the Hwb Arloesi (Innovation Hub), a net zero public building designed to reduce operational emissions through on-site renewable energy and low-carbon heating systems. Supported by a Buildings Transition Loan from Lloyds, the new facility includes classrooms, laboratories, a library, meeting spaces, a wellbeing hub and a climbing wall.
The building is powered by solar panels and air source heat pumps, forming part of Coleg Cambria’s wider decarbonisation programme across its estate. It is the college’s first carbon neutral building and has been designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.
In addition to the Innovation Hub, the funding is also supporting the development of a new 50-bedroom student accommodation block at Llysfasi, due to open in autumn 2026. The accommodation will enable residential learners – including agricultural students and apprentices to stay on site during their studies.
The funding forms part of Lloyds Banking Group’s wider commitment to support regional growth, including a pledge to make over £1 billion of new finance available to businesses across Wales in 2026.
The Hwb Arloesi has already received national recognition, winning Best Public or Community Building at the Local Authority Building Control Building Excellence Awards, reflecting its design, construction quality and environmental performance.
Coleg Cambria has also been investing more widely in sustainability across its estate, including retrofitting older buildings with solar panels and LED lighting. The college now has more than 1,300 solar panels across its campuses and has secured £1.7 million in Welsh Government finding for further decarbonisation works.
Teresa Dagnall, Director of Finance at Coleg Cambria, said: “The Innovation Hub has been a transformative project for us, creating a modern learning environment that our students and staff are incredibly proud of.
“The support from Lloyds has been key to this, enabling us to deliver a facility that enhances the experience of our learners – an area that we’ll always be aiming to improve. At the same time, we’ve been able to reduce our carbon footprint.
“Alongside the new accommodation, we’re creating learning environments that support all of our students, whether they’re residential learners or apprentices, and regardless of which course they’re completing.”
Michele Donnelly, Relationship Director at Lloyds, said: “Coleg Cambria is delivering pioneering facilities for learners in North East Wales. The Innovation Hub sets a new standard for sustainable public buildings in Wales, and we’re proud to support the college with funding that aligns with its ambition to decarbonise.
“As the higher education sector continues to expand at pace, and students show increased selectivity in where they want to learn and how, we look forward to continuing to support their future development plans as they invest in both sustainability and high-quality education provision.”
