Thorpe Park College Leeds 2026

Key Points

• Project Scope: A four-storey, 90,000 sq ft college facility proposed at Thorpe Park Leeds by Scarborough Group International through Thorpe Park Developments, in partnership with Delta Academies Trust.
• Capacity Increase: Will expand post-16 capacity in East Leeds from roughly 400 students at Garforth Academy to up to 1,000 places at the new campus.
• Curriculum: Offers A Levels alongside technical and vocational courses, including T Levels and future V-Level qualifications.
• Project Team: Application submitted by Zerum on behalf of Thorpe Park Developments; wider team includes AHR (architect), Mosodi (transport), BWF (cost), Buro Happold (engineer), Ares (landscape), and Willmott Dixon (contractor).
• Target Opening: Aiming for an autumn 2028 opening, subject to planning permission and Department for Education approvals.
• Garforth Impact: Relocation releases space at Garforth Academy for its 11-16 provision.
• Demographic Need: Leeds’ Year 11 population is projected to rise from 8,714 to 10,015 by 2028/29.
• Location Integration: Situated alongside an established business community of over 100 businesses and 7,500 employees, near The Springs retail and leisure centre, the 150-acre Green Park, and a planned Park Life sports hub.
• Connectivity: Existing road, bus, walking, and cycling routes, with longer-term rail connectivity improvements planned by West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail for a Thorpe Park railway station.
• Public Consultation: Summer consultation showed 68.5% support from respondents.
• Masterplan Context: Thorpe Park has delivered over 1m sq ft of workspace over 25 years and is masterplanned to grow beyond 2.8m sq ft.
• Key Statements: Comments provided by Adam Varley (Scarborough Group International) and Andy Barnett (Delta Academies Trust).

Thorpe Park Leeds (The Leeds Times) September 7, 2026 — Plans have been formally submitted to Leeds City Council for a new 90,000 sq ft, four-storey college facility at Thorpe Park Leeds, designed to significantly expand post-16 educational capacity in the East Leeds area.

The development is being brought forward by Scarborough Group International through Thorpe Park Developments, working in partnership with Delta Academies Trust. If approved by local planners and the Department for Education, the purpose-built campus aims to welcome its first cohort of students by autumn 2028.

What are the main details of the proposed Thorpe Park College development?

The planning application, lodged by Zerum on behalf of Thorpe Park Developments, outlines a four-storey facility spanning approximately 90,000 sq ft. The initiative involves relocating Delta Academies Trust’s existing sixth-form provision from Garforth Academy to the new Thorpe Park campus.

Subject to securing planning permission and necessary governmental approvals, student capacity would more than double, scaling up from roughly 400 students currently accommodated at Garforth Academy to as many as 1,000 places at the Thorpe Park location. Moving the post-16 provision will simultaneously release valuable space at Garforth Academy, allowing the existing facilities to be repurposed for its core 11-16 student provision.

The curriculum at the proposed college is planned to encompass traditional A Levels alongside a broad range of technical and vocational pathways, including T Levels and future V-Level qualifications.

Who makes up the project development team?

The delivery of the college involves a multidisciplinary professional team. Zerum acts as the planning consultant representing Thorpe Park Developments. The architectural design has been produced by AHR, while Mosodi serves as the transport planning consultant. BWF has been appointed as the cost consultant, with Buro Happold acting as engineer, Ares as landscape architect, and Willmott Dixon designated as the main contractor for the build.

How does the location integrate with the local community and transport networks?

Situated within the established Thorpe Park business community—which hosts more than 100 businesses and approximately 7,500 employees—the college will form part of a mixed-use environment integrating employment, retail, leisure, and green spaces. Students would gain convenient access to local amenities including The Springs retail and leisure centre and the adjacent 150-acre Green Park. Additionally, Leeds City Council is advancing plans for a new Park Life sports hub nearby.

Regarding transport infrastructure, the site is currently serviced by local road networks, bus services, walking routes, and cycling paths. In the longer term, connectivity is expected to receive a significant boost through proposals currently being advanced by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail to construct a brand-new railway station directly at Thorpe Park.

What is driving the demand for this educational facility?

The planning submission comes in response to rising demand for post-16 educational places across Leeds. Official Office for National Statistics (ONS) data cited by the project team indicates that the city’s current Year 11 population of 8,714 is projected to increase to 10,015 by the 2028/29 academic year.

A public consultation held over the summer months demonstrated local backing for the scheme. According to the development team, 68.5% of respondents expressed support for the proposals, with public feedback helping to shape the final design submitted to Leeds City Council. No construction timetable or overall financial project value has been publicly disclosed at this stage.

The proposal marks the latest chapter in the evolution of Thorpe Park Leeds. Over the past 25 years, the masterplan has delivered over 1 million sq ft of workspace, alongside 300 homes and The Springs retail destination.

The long-term masterplan envisages the site expanding to encompass more than 2.8 million sq ft, incorporating further office space, industrial and logistics facilities, hospitality, leisure, and additional residential development.

What have project leaders said about the submission?

Highlighting the unique integration between education and commerce, Adam Varley, development director at Scarborough Group International, stated that

“there’s something really compelling about giving young people the opportunity to take their next step in a place like Thorpe Park.”

Adam Varley added that students

“would be surrounded by businesses of all sizes and sectors, seeing first-hand the breadth of careers available to them and, importantly, having opportunities to build those connections before they leave post-16 education.”

He further noted that

“for the businesses already here, and those we hope to attract in the future, there’s an equally exciting opportunity to engage with emerging talent, share skills and experience, and help young people understand where their studies could take them. That relationship has the potential to be incredibly valuable on both sides.”

Addressing the planning milestone, Adam Varley stated that

“submitting the planning application brings that vision a step closer. It would also introduce something completely new to Thorpe Park, adding to the mix of people and uses here and bringing another generation into the life of the Park.”

He concluded by noting that

“we’ve had some really constructive feedback through the consultation and I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to get involved. We’ll continue that dialogue as the application moves forward.”

Echoing these sentiments from an educational perspective, Andy Barnett, chief executive at Delta Academies Trust, stated that

“the submission of this planning application represents an exciting milestone in our plans to establish Thorpe Park College and provide more high-quality educational opportunities for young people in Leeds.”

Andy Barnett emphasized that

“at Delta Academies Trust, we are committed to creating ambitious, inclusive learning environments where every young person can achieve their full potential.”

He concluded that

“Thorpe Park College is a significant investment in the future of local families, providing students with an inspiring setting in which to learn, grow and prepare for the opportunities ahead.”

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Background of the development

Thorpe Park Leeds is a major mixed-use business and lifestyle destination located to the east of Leeds city centre, adjacent to the M1 motorway. Over the past two decades, Scarborough Group International has systematically developed the site from an initial commercial park concept into a thriving employment and community hub.

The addition of The Springs retail and leisure park, alongside hundreds of residential units, transformed the park into a balanced destination combining work, leisure, and living. The introduction of a dedicated post-16 educational facility represents a strategic departure from traditional commercial-only park models, weaving civic infrastructure directly into a major employment zone.

This development follows years of regional efforts to enhance East Leeds’ economic infrastructure, which is further underscored by planned public transport upgrades such as the prospective Thorpe Park railway station intended to alleviate local congestion and improve commuter access.

Prediction

The establishment of Thorpe Park College is positioned to directly impact local students, families, and businesses across East Leeds by substantially increasing post-16 educational capacity ahead of projected demographic surges in the region’s student population. For prospective students, the relocation and expansion mean significantly wider access to modern facilities and a diverse curriculum combining academic A Levels with vocational T Levels.

Placing teenagers directly inside a major commercial hub with over 100 businesses and 7,500 employees creates unique proximity to potential employers, work placement opportunities, and professional mentoring that traditional standalone school campuses rarely match. For local businesses operating within Thorpe Park, the influx of up to 1,000 young adults offers an immediate talent pipeline, enabling corporate partners to engage early with emerging local workforce skills.

Concurrently, parents and residents in East Leeds will benefit from expanded local educational choices that reduce travel times to central Leeds institutions, though local authorities will need to closely monitor regional transport networks to ensure local roads and planned rail links adequately scale to handle the combined commuter and student footfall by the targeted 2028 opening.