College campus approved.

Byline: Tony Collins

SANDWELL College is celebrating the go-ahead of its new pounds 80 million campus with the latest images of how the West Bromwich centre will look.

After months of speculation, Sandwell was last week included in a shortlist of only 13 colleges chosen to receive capital funding in the current spending round.

The cost of the new building, which can serve up to 10,000 students, has been slightly reduced from the original pounds 85 million in response to requirements from the Learning and Skills Council. Sandwell College, which now serves around 6.500 people, will move its existing campuses at Oldbury and Smethwick.

It has already secured pounds 9 million from Advantage West Midlands and pounds 500,000 from the local council.

Principal Val Bailey said the building would be the first pillar in an ambitious plan to regenerate West Bromwich.

She said: "We are certain that Sandwell College will get the green light because the rebuilding project is vital to the future education and training of people in the Black Country.

"This is fantastic news and I am confident the rebuilding of Sandwell College will go ahead in the very near future.

"We have always remained confident that the new Sandwell College was a high priority for the LSC and that everything would be done to ensure that the new build came to fruition."

CAPTION(S):

Striking: An artist's impression of the Atrium at the new pounds 80 million Sandwell College campus in West Bromwich.