NORTHERN REGIONAL COLLEGE BALLYMENA PROJECT PROFILE
SET TO HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON EDUCATION AND SKILLS IN THE REGION, NRC BALLYMENA IS THE SECOND NRC CAMPUS COMPLETED BY THE CONTRACTOR IN A £101M CAPITAL INVESTMENT PACKAGE… HERON BROS DELIVERS ANOTHER TRANSFORMATIONAL EDUCATION PROJECT
A landmark campus has been successfully completed for Northern Regional College (NRC) by Heron Bros in a second consecutive year. Having delivered the new NRC Causeway Campus ahead of the 2024/2025 academic year, one year on the main contractor has handed over NRC Ballymena. The £55m Ballymena design-and-build contract consolidates three campuses into a single modern facility supporting over 1,800 learners, with the two projects representing a total capital investment of £101m by the Department for the Economy. Heron Bros commenced on site in February 2022, with construction works getting underway in August 2022 and the new 16,800sqm campus completed in July 2025. The final phase, demolishing the old campus and constructing a new 450-space car park, is ongoing. The new campus features two multi-storey blocks linked by a three-storey atrium with
single-storey workshops running the length of the site and a single-storey standalone sports building. Key design features include an open-plan feature staircase for collaborative learning, and an Innovation Zone for hosting cross-curriculum events. At its highest point, the campus provides striking views eastwards across the ECOS landscape and westwards over the adjacent St Patrick’s regeneration site. Purpose-built facilities for vocational, technical and professional education include an Advanced Technologies Department spanning 5,000sqm across the ground and first floors. Providing specialist training in mechanical, manufacturing, electrical and construction engineering, the department supports vital trades such as plumbing, carpentry, joinery and bricklaying. With construction taking place on a live campus site, maintaining safe access for students and staff was a priority
PROJECT TEAM: Client: Northern Regional College Main contractor: Heron Bros Ltd Client ICT: McAdam Design, Mott MacDonald Heron Bros IST: Isherwood & Ellis, ARUP MEP contractor: NUGENT
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