Hayley MaceThe principal of Lowestoft College has announced that she will retire in the summer after eight years at the helm.Gwen Parsons, who joined the college in 2002, has seen many changes at the St Peter's Street centre, including the development of centres of vocational excellence in offshore, technology, energy, care and construction.Hayley Mace

The principal of Lowestoft College has announced that she will retire in the summer after eight years at the helm.

Gwen Parsons, who joined the college in 2002, has seen many changes at the St Peter's Street centre, including the development of centres of vocational excellence in offshore, technology, energy, care and construction.

She has also overseen the college's development as one of the founder partners of University Campus Suffolk, with more than 200 undergraduates now studying in Lowestoft and has played a key role in plans to redevelop the college and build the town's new sixth form centre on the site.

Mrs Parsons has announced that after 37 years in the education sector, she is going to retire in August 2010.

She said: 'My decision to retire has not been taken lightly but I feel that the time is right for the college to have a fresh impetus so that it can become the outstanding institution that this community deserves.

'We have come a very long way together over the last eight years from being inward looking to outward facing. The renaissance of the college has been mirrored by the redevelopment of the town and the area.

'There are many exciting times ahead and I will be staying in the area in the immediate future and hope to be able to contribute in some way to realising Waveney's ambitions. It will be good though to be able to spend some time with family and friends and rekindle the interests I used to fit into my life'.

The college is now beginning the process of finding a replacement to take on the role of principal when Mrs Parsons retires.