Derby College Group — group overview
Derby College Group operates as a multi-campus FE corporation group across East Midlands, delivering education to 20,000+ across Derbyshire. The campus portfolio spans:
- Roundhouse Campus
- Joseph Wright Centre
- Broomfield Hall (land-based)
- Ilkeston Campus
- Morley Campus
At 20,000+ across Derbyshire across 5 campus locations, Derby College Group is one of the larger entities in the UK FE sector. Multi-campus group corps of this scale benefit from significant procurement and bidding economies of scale — a single Salix or PSDS Phase 4 application can cover the entire portfolio, with phased delivery aligned to each campus's term-time calendar.
Sustainability commitment and Climate Action Plan
Derby College Group Climate Action Plan aligns with Derby City Climate Strategy. Broomfield Hall land-based campus particularly well-positioned for high-impact solar.
Like every UK FE corporation, Derby College Group sits within scope of the November 2022 ONS reclassification — meaning Salix Decarbonisation Loans and PSDS Phase 4 capital grants are fully accessible for portfolio solar programmes. The AoC and EAUC Climate Action Roadmap (Nov 2024) requires a board-approved Climate Action Plan; for a multi-campus group corp of this scale, solar PV is the single most defensible lead intervention available — auditable, photographable, photographically evidenced across multiple campuses simultaneously.
Solar opportunity assessment
Includes the substantial Broomfield Hall land-based estate (agriculture, equine, animal management) — strongest solar economics in the group portfolio. Estimated 1.2-1.5 MW PV potential.
Total available roof area across the portfolio: 15,000+ sqm including agricultural buildings. At a typical 75% utilisation rate (after exclusions for plant, rooflights, shading, wayleaves), this gives a portfolio PV ceiling consistent with the estimated capacity stated above.
Funding stack for Derby College Group
The optimal funding structure for a group corp portfolio programme of this scale typically combines:
- Salix Decarbonisation Loan — single portfolio bid covering all campuses
- PSDS Phase 4 capital grant — typically paired with air-source heat pump or building fabric on the largest campuses
- MCA decarbonisation grants — applicable per campus based on the relevant devolved authority
- FE Capital Transformation Fund — embedded sustainability inside major estate transformation
- AoC Climate Action Roadmap — board-approved Climate Action Plan compliance pathway
- ONS reclassification — what it unlocked for FE colleges — the November 2022 policy change that unlocked Salix + PSDS for FE
- Solar payback calculator for Derby College Group colleges — model the specific Derby College Group scenario
Sub-vertical mix at Derby College Group
The Derby College Group portfolio includes:
- General FE college solar — typical 200-600 kW per campus
- Land-based and agricultural college solar — typical 300-1,500 kW per campus + ground-mount potential