A MAJOR milestone in the history of Newton Rigg College, Penrith, was marked on Tuesday with the opening of the Frank Parkinson Building.

One of the largest investments into the campus, the work is part of the £3m investment pledged in 2012 following the involvement of York-based Askham Bryan College. The building creates a new hub for students studying agriculture, forestry and engineering, and follows the opening earlier this year of the £2.4m state-of-the-art dairy unit at the college's Sewborwens Farm.

The Frank Parkinson Building is at the heart of the campus and includes new teaching accommodation and study rooms on the first floor with the College reception area, offices, the library and study areas on the ground floor.

Wes Johnson, Principal, welcomed guests to the official opening which was marked by the unveiling of a plaque and planting of a rowan tree by David Gardner of the Frank Parkinson Agricultural Trust, which has supported the project. The ceremony was witnessed by around 30 invited guests plus students, governors and staff.

Mr Gardner spoke of the “fantastic facilities” for student learning at Newton Rigg and said the Trust was delighted to support the initiative.

“What I have noticed is that there's a real buzz about the place, the College is on the way back up, there is some good stuff going on here” he said. “It's a wonderful time to be coming into agriculture, yes there are difficulties but the future of agriculture has never looked better.”

He spoke of growing world-wide demand for food, particularly from the middle classes in China, and the increased interest in how food is produced, all of which presented opportunities for British farmers. “Volatility in the market place is something we have to live with, but it's a buoyant industry and is likely to remain so for many years to come. Agriculture's time has come again.” he said.

Liz Philip, Executive Principal, thanked the Trust for its generosity. Looking back to when Askham Bryan College became involved, she said student and apprentice numbers at Newton Rigg had grown from around 300 in 2012 to this year's figure of around 800. Some 90 students are currently studying agriculture on full time courses.

As part of the redevelopment programme, work is continuing on removing obsolete inefficient buildings on the campus and creating new walkways and green space. The Grizedale Building has also been refurbished and is home to the equine, animal management and countryside and game management departments.