Thanet College has cleared a major hurdle in its bid to build an impressive new, £82million 'super campus' at Westwood.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has approved the purchase of land on Millennium Way, close to the existing Canterbury Christ Church University campus.

The two institutions could eventually share certain facilities.

More than £72million worth of funding for the campus has now been agreed in principle by the LSC, allowing the college to proceed to completion of the land earmarked for development.

Rob Thrower, relocation director, said: "This the single most important step in ensuring the plans to relocate the college to state of the art buildings in the heart of the Thanet district are realised."

Thanet council has given its backing to the project, agreeing to write to the LSC expressing its support.

Officials at the authority have also granted outline planning permission for the new campus.

A contractor has been appointed and building work could start as early as June, a spokesperson for Thanet College confirmed on Monday.

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