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£188m college plans on verge of collapse
BLACKPOOL'S multi-million pound college plans are on the verge of collapse.
Ambitious 188m plans to build a further education campus on Rigby Road and a new nautical college in Fleetwood are a major part of the area's regeneration plans.
But funding from the Learning and Skills Council, which was to pay for the building work, has run out – throwing the whole scheme into jeopardy.
Mark Haysom, chief executive of the Learning Skills Council quit yesterday blaming "well-publicised difficulties" with the 5bn national programme.
Now bosses at Blackpool and The Fylde College face a nail biting wait to learn the fate of the scheme.
A spokesman for the college said: "We hope for quick, clear and fair decisions.
"Work on our new university campus in Palatine Road was, and will continue to be, unaffected.
"Our planned campuses are not only an extremely important part of the town's regeneration plans, but will benefit students, staff, business and local and national communities."
The news has been described as a "massive blow" by Blackpool Council leader Peter Callow.
Coun Callow said: "I am very concerned to hear about further delays as up until very recently I believed we were one of the schemes that had been approved.
Regeneration bosses also admitted they were worried aout the impact on Blackpool.
Doug Garrett of ReBlackpool said: "This development is worrying for Blackpool and the whole country."
A decision on funding from the Learning and Skills Council had been expected in December last year.
But in January the LSC announced the decision had been delayed until the end off March.
Blackpool Council has started work to demolish the Mecca building on the Rigby Road site, which is earmarked for the college development.
For the full story, see Tuesday's Gazette.
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Weather for Blackpool
Saturday 04 February 2012
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