A new professional teaching building in Eastleigh opened its doors to the public this week to celebrate its completion.

The new centre at Eastleigh College, which opened this term, boasts modern training salons for hairdressing and beauty courses in addition to extensive facilities for Media, Art and Design students which include a photography studio and a suite of computers for studies in the students' chosen field.

The centre is stage two of a £12m major redevelopment project at the college, consisting of three stages.

Stage one, the refurbishment of a new training restaurant, is already complete while stage three, a new advanced technology centre with facilities for computer science, electronic engineering and professional construction, is due to be completed in 2017.

The new state-of-the-art facilities at the college promise to "create an exceptional learning environment for the students which will help better prepare them for a career in their chosen field’’.

Jan Edrich, principal at Eastleigh College, is delighted with the new Centre, saying: “It has been amazing to watch the site develop from paper plans to a finished building.

"The building looks and feels exciting, and it provides an excellent environment in which the students can learn the skills required for employment in their industry.”

The new commercial training salon, Avenue Hair and Beauty, is now welcoming bookings in a range of treatments from nail art and waxing to hair styling.