Property Management

Heritage and Buildings

Grounds and Gardens

Footpaths and Access

Woodlands

Conservation

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Estate Buildings

Aller Park School

Barn Theatre

Blacklers

Chimmels

Church Tower

Cider Press Centre

Dartington Lodge

The Elmhirst Centre

Foxhole

Gardens Office

Gardens Summer House

Great Hall

High Cross House

Lime Kilns /
Shinners Bridge

Lower Tweed Mill

Medieval Courtyard: East/West Wings

Old Postern &
Coach Houses

Orchards

Round House

Warren Lane Houses

White Hart Bar &
Dining Room

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Off Estate Buildings

Central Offices

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The South West RDA board today (Monday) agreed to back the decision by Dartington College of Arts (DCA) and University College Falmouth (UCF) to merge.

The RDA’s decision was made against the background of DCA Governors advising that their college does not have a viable future at its current location.

This issue has been confirmed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) – the statutory body for higher education in England – which has also confirmed:

that the new merged institution would have a long-term sustainable financial future, and

if the merger did not proceed the 630 student places currently funded at Dartington would be lost when it closes.

Therefore, the options were for the two colleges to merge or for DCA to close.

The RDA Board approved an initial investment of up to £500,000 to allow further development of the project. Subject to the satisfactory completion of this work, and also subject to Cornwall stakeholders supporting a substantial investment from the EU Convergence Programme, the Board agreed a further investment of £3 million towards the development of a merged institution at Falmouth.

South West RDA Executive Director Enterprise and Innovation Stephen Peacock said: “The South West RDA faced a difficult decision between supporting the merger or seeing this valuable Higher Education provision and these funded student places lost to the region for good.

“Our board members recognised that the investment in the proposed merger will help transform the economy of Cornwall and the wider region by using creativity to drive the development of a knowledge economy.

“It is important, however, to emphasise that any RDA investment is conditional upon Cornwall stakeholders giving their support to this project. The first opportunity they will have to consider this matter will be at the inaugural meeting of the Convergence Programme Monitoring Committee on 30 January.”

Governors of both UCF and DCA will take a final decision upon their merger once the position regarding investment from the EU Convergence programme is clear.