The report on my first visit to this place is here: http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums...lege-arts-technology-southend-may-2014-a.html
HISTORY
As mentioned in my previous report on this place, I can’t seem to locate much official history but here’s what I have:
"South Essex College of Further and Higher Education is a further education college located over three sites in Basildon, Southend-on-Sea and Grays in Essex. The college provides courses for students of all ages, from 14 to 19 year-olds to undergraduates, adults and businesses.
The college was originally founded in 1899 as an art school and was later renamed as the Junior Day Technical School with the curriculum being restructured to include commercial and industrial skills for education in courses such as plumbing. The college became South East Essex College of Arts and Technology in 1991.
In 2004, the college building in Southend relocated to a new £52m campus in the centre of Southend as this site was closer to main public transport routes, the high street and right next to the Southend Central mainline railway station. This has left the old campus site empty since.
The site has long been under consideration for redevelopment, initially into student accommodation and then a residential block of flats but, like much of the derelict buildings along Victoria avenue, this has yet to happen."
THE EXPLORE – Part 2
My last visit here was a fail in terms of accessing the main college building however I did have better luck accessing a smaller side building I hadn’t even know was there so every cloud and all that. The fail had been bugging me though and I was determined to see inside the main campus so on the spur of the moment I decided to give it another go while I had an unscheduled free afternoon.
Another solo explore, this attempt was far more successful. The place is huge and pretty overwhelming on your own. With the windows boarded or completely obscured by the surrounding dense foliage the ground floor is very dark but full of temporary industrial lighting (all switched off) and building equipment so it looks like something is definitely underway in there.
I was able to look around undisturbed over the next few hours exploring all five floors of both wings and managed to cover the vast majority of the site. The building has one central stairwell and one at each end of the building however these are both glass fronted and very exposed so I had been sticking to the central stairwell to avoid being seen from outside.
With sunset fast approaching I decided to head back to what appeared to be a roof access I had found earlier, hoping for some nice rooftop shots before I left. As I passed the central stairwell I thought I heard faint footsteps coming up from below. Pausing in silence I listened…somebody was definitely down there and cautiously making their way up. At this point I’d by lying if I said my sphincter hadn’t started to twitch a bit. I decided it was definitely time to bail. Trying (and failing) to navigate along the long central corridor as quietly as possible through debris and excruciatingly loud doors I planned on heading back down the far end stairwell, hopefully bypassing the unknown visitor(s) on the central stairwell, to the ground floor and out the way I came in.
As I reached the next floor down I took a quick peek through the stairwell door only to see the silhouette of someone walking up the main corridor but couldn’t tell if they were coming my way or heading toward the other end of the building. Needless to say I didn’t hang around to find out.
In my haste/mild panic I overshot the ground floor and ended up at a basement entrance which was heavily boarded up. Quickly doubling back and dashing back up two flights praying I didn’t bump into whoever it was on their way down and creeping through the ground floor stairwell doors I emerged to find all the industrial lighting now turned on and the main entrance doors open. Certain I would run into secca/plod at any moment (but mildly relieved at least it wouldn’t be some local smackheads) I managed to find my way back to my entry point only to find it now closed. Somebody definitely knew I was there. Luckily it wasn’t locked so, with my heart pounding like a hooker’s headboard, I was able to make a swift exit.
Only my second proper explore, this was nerve wracking and a bit too close for comfort to say the least but a massive buzz to escape uncaught. Still a few bits I deffo want to go back and explore but think I may wait a while before returning….
Anyway, sorry for the ramblings, hope you enjoy the pics (admin - let me know if there are too many!)
1. Reception
2. Jungle Cats Nursery
3. Study Centre Staircase
4. Study Centre Staircase - Top
5. Lights
6. What’s an Internet?
7. Monitors
8. Stairs to Basement. I didn’t have the balls to go down there alone!
9. Performing Arts Theatre
10. Corridor
11. Central Stairwell
12. 2nd Floor
13. Printing Room
14. Kodak Moment
15. Negatives
16. Darkroom – S**t myself when I rounded a corner in the darkroom and nearly tripped over this!
17. Canteen Floor
18. Canteen
19. Kitchen
20. Science Lab
21. Lab Equipment
22. Spot Test Kit
23. Microscope
24. Lab Machinery
25. Walkway between Wings
26. Sunset…time to leave
Hope you enjoyed!
