Newcastle-based engineering consultancy RWO has been appointed to support principal contractor Castle on the ambitious redevelopment of South Tyneside College.

The firm is providing a wide-ranging package of civil and structural engineering services as part of the £95 million transformation of the college’s campus and student accommodation. The investment aims to modernise facilities and improve education and training provision in the region.

RWO’s involvement includes developing engineering plans to support the construction of a new 15,000 sq. m main building, dedicated student accommodation, and the refurbishment of a listed building - forming a new town-centre base for South Tyneside College and South Shields Marine School, part of Tyne Coast College.

The relocation from Westoe to South Shields town centre is being delivered in partnership with South Tyneside Council, with award-winning construction company Castle - headquartered in Hebburn - leading the project.

The new campus will feature a striking double-height glass atrium at its King Street entrance, with a secondary entrance on Barrington Street linking to the refurbished Grade II-listed building, which will house elements of the Marine School.

The design also includes active high street frontages, such as a training hair salon and café, alongside public spaces and landscaping that will incorporate grassed areas, tree planting and a central square. Low carbon technologies will be integrated throughout the site, and the main campus will include cutting-edge marine simulators.

This latest contract forms part of RWO’s strategic growth, as it continues to expand beyond its North of England base, with several high-profile projects now underway across the UK.

Managing Director Ross Oakley said:

“South Tyneside College is another prestigious contract for us. It builds on our previous successes with projects right across the North East and wider national landscape, showcasing our engineering capabilities together with the skills and expertise available in the region to support major investments and detailed design work.”

With construction now underway, the South Tyneside College project marks a major milestone in the regeneration of the town centre - and another important chapter in RWO’s growing portfolio of large-scale education and infrastructure developments.