The creation of a new college in the centre of Ashford has moved a step closer.

Ashford Borough Council's Cabinet recommended providing a £2 million loan to help bring a higher and further education college to the town at its meeting on Wednesday night.

The cash would be used to secure funding to build the Ashford International College Campus on the junction of Elwick Road and Station Road.

The Hadlow Group, the parent organisation of the planned West Kent and Ashford College, intends to apply for funding from bodies such as the Skills Funding Agency and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, but to get the cash it needed the council to make a financial commitment.

Now Cabinet has recommended allowing the loan it just needs to be approved by full council.

The long-term plan will see the existing college in Jemmett Road, South Ashford, relocated to the new site after it is redeveloped.

It is hoped that moving the college to the town centre it will make it more attractive to potential students. The college would offer a mix of further education and higher education courses, apprenticeships and skill-based courses.

The loan would be paid back to ABC when the Jemmett Road site is sold to developers for housing.