The Malcolm Wharton Centre

Hartpury College has officially opened a new purpose-built £3.1 million teaching facility at Home Farm, celebrating the occasion with local dignitaries, sponsors, supporters of Hartpury College, Governors and staff.

Hartpury College was one of 21 colleges nationally that received a £1 million grant from the Skills Funding Agency for the new build project. The Centre was completed in a demanding timescale, taking approximately seven months to build, ready for the start of the new academic term.  It now provides 1500m2 of space with classrooms, offices and a learning resource centre for agriculture, countryside (game), farm mechanisation and land-based technology students, and has significantly raised the standard of the educational resources at Home Farm.

Hartpury hopes the building will achieve the highest BREEAM rating, which sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the effective measure used to describe a building's environmental performance. The construction has incorporated features such as solar power, use of natural lighting, rain water harvesting and natural ventilation.

The ceremony was officiated by Guest of Honour Geoff Russell, Chief Executive of the Skills Funding Agency and the building was officially named as the Malcolm Wharton Centre, to commemorate the Principal’s 22 years of outstanding service.

Geoff Russell said: “The new centre at Hartpury College is an excellent example of an energy efficient building that maximises the use of natural resources.  It will provide first class industry training facilities for agriculture, countryside, farm mechanisation and land-based technology. The development highlights our continuing support and commitment to help colleges modernise and ensure they meet the needs of learners, employers and their local communities.”

Principal Malcolm Wharton said: “Hartpury recognises the importance of retaining agriculture as a core focus. While we have invested heavily in other areas of the College to sustain growth, agriculture is Hartpury’s foundation stone. This new facility will ensure that, as these types of courses continue to grow, Hartpury is well placed to train a new generation of youngsters who will come into this rewarding industry and tackle the potential environmental and economic challenges of the future.”

Chair of Governors, Graham van der Lely commented: “I am delighted that the building has been named after Malcolm. It is entirely appropriate as his leadership over the last 22 years has driven the developments at Hartpury and made it the success that it is today. He never lost sight of the College’s agricultural direction and this new building cements his passion and drive for the industry and the impact it will have for future students at Hartpury.”

The Malcolm Wharton Centre is just one of several capital building projects taking place at Hartpury this year, bringing the total investment in the campus to £45million over the last 20 years. A new 3G rubber crumb sports pitch and new Modern Pentathlon shooting range, which at present is the only one of its kind in the country, has already been completed.  A new golf driving range and an extension to the Sports Academy, which will house Aviva Premiership side, Gloucester Rugby, who use Hartpury as their training base, is on track to be completed in October this year.

Proposed North Elevation

Proposed East Elevation

Proposed South Elevation

Proposed West Elevation