Both Worthing College and Northbrook College have had planning permission granted in principle for total re-builds.

Learning and Skills Council (LSC) announced £80million worth of grants in principle towards the schemes.

The total cost of both projects, which will provide state-of-the-art learning facilities, is expected to be £120million, with the rest of the money being generated through land sales.

Future prosperity

Peter Corrigan, principal of Worthing College, in Bolsover Road, said: "This is a landmark decision for the future of education and training in Worthing.

"These investments mean young people and adults will have the very best of educational facilities locally.

"The level of investment is unprecedented and will make a major contribution to the future prosperity of Worthing as a major town in West Sussex."

David Percival, principal of Northbrook, said: "Northbrook College and Worthing College have worked together over the last three years to develop a vision for learning in the area which will lead to nearly all needs being able to be met locally.

Click here to see more on the Northbrook plans.

"We've ensured the plans for our new colleges don't needlessly duplicate specialist facilities, so that we can get the best for each specialism in the town.

"We've agreed to share them when students from one college would benefit from using the other's facilities."

Cash and homes

Last month, the colleges made presentations to the national capital committee of the LSC to secure the capital funding.

Worthing College was granted in principle £32.5million pounds and Northbrook £46million.

Some of the land will be used for 124 affordable housing units.

Mr Corrigan said: "The mission of Worthing College is to be one of the best sixth form colleges in the country, housed in the best possible facilities.

"This decision makes a major contribution to the realisation of our ambitions."

Building plans

The new building will be in the centre of the current site, enabling the college to continue to operate until it is complete.

At Northbrook, the building will be in two phases on its Broadwater campus, with part of the site continuing to operate whilst the first phase is finished.

The new college will create a centre of excellence in the creative industries and house all of its vocational studies, with industry-standard hair and beauty salons and a restaurant.

Northbrook's Shoreham Airport campus will also see investment to increase its capacity and focus all its engineering and technology in one specialist centre.

Mr Percival said: "Northbrook has had to wait a long time to get the new buildings Worthing deserves."

Worthing College future

THE Worthing College project is a complete college re-build at the current site in Bolsover Road. The project will include:

• New facilities for teaching and learning, including fully-equipped classrooms and science laboratories.

• Learning Centres throughout the college.

• A performing arts studio and music suite.

• A sports hall, fitness gym, sports pitches and netball/tennis facilities to support sports courses, sport academy developments and general leisure and fitness.

• A cafeteria, student club and student services area and learning resources centre. This will mean students can benefit from a range of services to support their learning.

• An on-site nursery.

• The creation of a science and mathematics, and sports Centre of Excellence.

Have your say?

DO you think the ambitious college plans will be money well spent on education in Worthing?

Vote yes or no in the panel to the right of the screen.

What do you think?

Do you welcome the changes at the two colleges?

How will it benefit you?

What concerns do you have about the building work?

Share your views, comment below, email the Herald or write in to Readers' Letters, Worthing Herald series, Cannon House, Chatsworth Road, Worthing, BN11 1NA.

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