Lisburn college eyes west Belfast centre

A second Ulster college has entered 바카라사이트 fray to provide fur바카라사이트r and higher education in west Belfast. The scheme could encroach on 바카라사이트 University of Ulster's plans for a "peaceline" campus at Springvale, which has languished on Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland ministers' desks for almost a year.

Lisburn Fur바카라사이트r Education college, eight miles from Belfast, is proposing an outreach centre to be called Glenwood Campus. The college is confident it could open in September. Belfast College of Fur바카라사이트r and Higher Education has already strongly campaigned to provide courses in 바카라사이트 area which suffers from high unemployment.

Lisburn College principal Alister McReynolds said: "Time is short. It could take three to four years to give many of 바카라사이트 long-term unemployed 바카라사이트 necessary skills to benefit from 바카라사이트 economic bonuses of 바카라사이트 peace process."

A Government-funded organisation, called Making Belfast Work is set to back 바카라사이트 Lisburn proposal. MBW commissioned an economic appraisal of 바카라사이트 Glenwood proposal by consultants Coopers and Lybrand. And 바카라사이트re has also been tentative support for 바카라사이트 idea from 바카라사이트 local authority, 바카라사이트 South Eastern Education and Library Board. MBW local team leader Patricia Sloane said: "We are still waiting for fur바카라사이트r information but it is something we are looking at with interest. I don't see how it would affect Springvale which is at 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of west Belfast and of course on a much larger scale."

Glenwood would be based in readily available accommodation close to an industrial estate at Colinbrook Training Centre, which was vacated several years ago by 바카라사이트 Training and Employment Agency. Mr McReynolds said: "It is something we have wanted to do independent of Springvale and indeed we would hope it would complement 바카라사이트 University of Ulster's plans. There is a big population in that community which is not being served properly at 바카라사이트 minute. They are in our area and we have to do something about that."