Beleaguered Brooklands College will be forced to close if plans for a major redevelopment that includes selling land for more than 300 new homes falls through, its principal has admitted.
A planning application was submitted to Elmbridge Borough Council yesterday seeking permission for a project that will pump £45 million into the Weybridge college.
The cash is vital in securing the college’s future as it would be used to repay a £25 million debt to the government that is being demanded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) following an apprenticeship subcontracting scandal, which was uncovered by FE Week several years ago.
If approved, the redevelopment scheme will deliver 320 new homes, including 128 “affordable homes” for local families, a new sports centre, a community hub and public access to 12 hectares of woodland.
