Published Wednesday, 18 August 2010
The 5000 sq metre building on the Springfield Road will house state-of-the-art learning facilities for engineering, media and hospitality students.
The premises are due to open in spring 2012 to accommodate up to 350 users per day, drawn from higher education students, school pupils, start up companies, local businesses and community organisations.
The new site will feature an animation and digital editing suite, TV and radio production studios, a hospitality training facility and manufacturing and engineering facilities for product innovation.
Chief Executive at BMC Marie Thérèse McGivern said the new facility, which is aimed at promoting employability, entrepreneurship and enterprise (e3), will give economic and social regeneration to the north and west Belfast area.
"We cannot ignore the difficult economic situation which we face and it is important that people seeking employment have as wide a range of skills as possible," she said.
"E3 will allow students to push their potential as they develop their ability to find solutions, work collaboratively, communicate effectively and set and achieve targets whilst accessing leading edge equipment and facilities."
Funding was provided by the Department for Employment and Learning, the International Fund for Ireland, and Belfast Metropolitan College.
Welcoming the plans, Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey said: "The e3 project exemplifies the multi-agency approach which will be vital to addressing our skills gap."
Denis Rooney CBE, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland which contributed £5m to the project, said:
"It would be difficult to overestimate the very positive benefits this state-of-the-art building will have on the local North and West Belfast economy and also the wider Northern Ireland economy.
"By investing in our young people, they become our hope for a better and shared future - a future where we can all learn, live and work together."
Sinn Féin West Belfast MP Gerry Adams has welcomed the announcement.
"Sinn Féin has been working with the local university college at St Mary's to ensure sustainable higher education provision in west Belfast. News that the Belfast Metropolitan College are now ready to invest at Springvale is timely," he said.
SDLP West Belfast councillor Tim Attwood said: "This is a welcome and positive development by the Belfast Metropolitan. It is exciting to see innovative and cutting educational development on this site. It will provide unique educational opportunities for young people and play a significant role in the social and economic regeneration of West Belfast."