Sport and outdoor learning set to be winners in £2m work at college

If planning permission is granted, it will open up a major landscaping scheme around the building, which was refurbished several years ago, providing improved sports, outdoor learning and social space for the college's 900 students, staff and people in the surrounding community.

New sports facilities would include four tennis courts, three netball courts and a synthetic turf pitch for football and other sports. It would also include athletics facilities and an all-weather cricket wicket.

If the development goes ahead, there will be much greater use of the facilities outside college hours by the community in Parson Cross. The new development would also include outdoor areas for horticultural education and outdoor social space, including seating, external dining space and canopies. The scheme has been made possible because of the sale of adjacent land to Asda.

Some buildings currently in a poor state of repair will be removed. Council departments which currently use them will be moved to other sites. A decision on the planning application is expected in March. Work could be completed early next year.