A TRANSFORMATION of Huddersfield New College is to start in the new year.
A new theatre and dance studio building, two storey art and design block and new classrooms costing £3.3m in all are to be created.
New College principal Philip Forrest said the new annex would provide state of the art facilities and equipment for music, drama, art and design and ICT.
"The work is part of the college's three-year development plan and will mean by 2008 we will have completely transformed the college's original buildings from 1958 and either rebuilt or refurbished the whole site," he said.
"It will create much improved facilities for the college's increasing student population which now amounts to 1,700," he added.
Work starts in January and is expected to be completed by August.
Tender documents are now being prepared so a main contractor can be chosen.
One quarter of the funds for the project have come from the Learning and Skills Council with the rest of the money being borrowed from the Yorkshire Bank.
The announcement of the plans comes a year after former education secretary Ruth Kelly (pictured) visited the College and described it as a college going "from strength to strength."
