Emergency building works have closed Brighton Met College’s city centre campus until after the Easter holidays.
The college emailed students last night to say there were problems around the site entrance of the new building yesterday afternoon.
Classes will either be cancelled or held online where possible for the rest of term. It says it is looking forward to welcoming them back when the new term starts on April 17.
The statement said: “Work is due to start shortly on the second phase of redevelopment of the site.
“Ahead of this project commencing, we have been required to undertake some emergency maintenance work which is impacting on the site entrance and means the site cannot remain in standard operation until the rectification work is complete.
“Due to the closure, all lessons due to take place at the Central Brighton (Pelham) campus will now need to be delivered remotely online for the remainder of this term – up to Friday, 31 March.
“We have asked staff to move to remote online learning wherever practicable by Monday, 27 March at the latest.
“Individual curriculum teams may also establish specific arrangements at other locations for access to specific facilities and these will be communicated to those affected as soon as possible.
“Course tutors, student tutors or additional support staff will be in contact directly with students with more details. Tutors are also available via email.
“We know exams are scheduled during the temporary closure period, and the exams team are working with curriculum staff on rescheduling or relocating any exams due to take place at Pelham during the temporary closure.
“We would like to apologise for the disruption this will cause, and we thank you for your understanding.”
The new building off Pelham Street, which cost £21 million, was reopened to students two years ago following years of construction.
In 2018, the college secured outline planning permission to knock down the old Victorian school building between the college and St Peter’s Church, which it also owned, and build 135 homes there.
This increased the value of the site, with the intention of selling it to a developer to fund the building project.
In 2021, a private developer was granted full planning permission to build the flats there.
