Bradford Approves Brit North Performing Arts College
Bradford Council has approved plans for Brit North, the north of England's first performing arts college inspired by the Brit School. The college is expected to bring more than 550 students and staff into the city centre.
The model is the world-famous arts academy in London, which produced talents such as Adele and Tom Holland.
What will be built
The college will stand on the site of the former Jacob's Well council building, which is currently a car park. It aims to open by 2028.
According to the planning application, the building will have a theatre, a set construction workshop, a multi-use games area, music performance spaces and a TV studio set. Classrooms and college facilities are included too. The details were reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The college will be free to attend. It was first proposed in 2023, and the Department for Education later approved the plans.
Who is behind it
The project is led by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the owner and organiser of the Brit Awards music showcase.
The council said the school would boost the regeneration of the city centre and "increase footfall and activity within the area".
After the approval, BPI chief executive Dr Jo Twist called Brit North "a cultural and educational initiative" and also "an important regeneration project for Bradford". She said it "successfully brings together significant investment from the private sector and central government, working in partnership with regional and local leaders". She added that the ambition was to deliver for the city and the young people of Bradford and West Yorkshire. "We look forward to celebrating more milestones in the coming months," she said.
Mark Casci, head of policy and representation at West Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said the city was the "perfect location" for the college. In his words, Bradford's year as UK City of Culture "demonstrated conclusively that the city is a significant national player as a cultural epicentre". He said the college would give young people a springboard to performing arts greatness.
Source: BBC News