Plans submitted to turn former NatWest bank in Stafford into adult education centre

Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) has confirmed it has now purchased the former NatWest building on Greengate Street in Stafford, with plans to create a new adult-only learning hub in the town centre.

The announcement follows a planning submission already lodged with Stafford Borough Council to convert the former bank into an education facility.

The building, at 41 Greengate Street, has been closed since June 2025, after the NatWest branch closed on 25 June 2025.

What is being proposed

Planning application 25/41587/PSN seeks permission to internally refurbish the existing three-storey building and change its use from a commercial bank to an adult education facility.

The building is currently classed as Use Class E (Commercial, Business and Service). The application seeks to change this to Use Class F1 (Education).

No external alterations are proposed, with all works taking place inside the building.

NSCG confirms purchase and September 2026 opening target

In a new statement released on 20 January 2026, NSCG confirmed it has purchased the former NatWest building and is working with the Department for Education and local MP Leigh Ingham MP on the project.

NSCG says the adult learning hub is scheduled to open in September 2026, subject to consent, and will create a dedicated town centre space for adults to upskill and retrain.

Inside the new education facility

Plans submitted with the application show the creation of:

• Six seminar rooms

• One IT room

The proposed capacity for each room is listed as:

• Seminar Room 1: 24 students

• Seminar Room 2: 24 students

• Seminar Room 3: 24 students

• Seminar Room 4: 14 students

• Seminar Room 5: 18 students

• Seminar Room 6: 24 students

• IT Room: 8 students

In total, the layout would allow for multiple adult learning sessions to take place at the same time across the building.

Why NSCG says it’s doing this

NSCG says the new adult-only hub will help tackle capacity pressures created by increasing demand across all age groups.

From September 2026, adult learning classes are expected to transition from:

• Stafford College’s main campus on Earl Street

• The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology on Castle Street

NSCG also says the hub will offer adult-focused learning tailored to local needs, including courses such as maths and English, ESOL, essential digital training, and Access to Higher Education.

Parking and highways impact

The application states that the proposal will not impact transport or highways.

There are currently seven parking spaces within the site, and no increase in parking provision is proposed as part of the development.

Bringing a vacant building back into use

The former NatWest building has been empty since the bank’s closure last summer. If approved, the change of use would bring regular activity back into the town centre building, supporting adult education provision while helping to reduce long-term vacancy.

Adult education facilities typically offer courses aimed at skills development, retraining, and lifelong learning, though specific course details have not yet been published as part of the application.

Have your say

The planning application is currently open for public comment.

• Planning reference: 25/41587/PSN

• View and comment:https://www12.staffordbc.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=T7H0D4PSKED00

A decision will be made by Stafford Borough Council once the consultation process is complete.

First published: 12 January 2026. Updated: 20 January 2026.

Internal reference: SS-2026-001

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