A Southampton sixth-form college has unveiled a multi-million-pound plan to upgrade part of its 100-year-old campus.
Itchen College in Middle Road, Sholing, has submitted proposals to build a new sports hall and a two-storey teaching block on adjoining land.
College leaders are also asking Southampton City Council for consent to increase the number of parking spaces on the site.
The £3m scheme will enable the college to replace five temporary classrooms that are said to be in a "very poor" condition.
A design and access statement that accompanies the application says: "The original 1920s buildings have been progressively augmented, with the latest addition of five new classrooms.
"However, some areas are relatively inefficient, and space to expand is limited.
"With the removal of the temporary classrooms, the car park will be reconfigured to provide additional spaces. Over time, landscaping will mature to provide a softer edge to the campus.
A separate planning statement says the proposed new teaching block will improve the quality of accommodation and the range of courses available.
It adds: "The block would not result in an increase in staff or student numbers, but rather it would improve the college’s offering and suite of appropriate accommodation for its current students.
"The provision of the new building will enable the removal of five temporary classrooms.
"The classrooms are in very poor condition, nearing their end of life. They are very inefficient in terms of their energy use and carbon consumption."
College principal Alex Scott added: "We are delighted to be selected by the Department for Education for this £3m investment.
"The new building will allow us to replace end-of-life temporary accommodation with seven classrooms, as well as a larger multi-purpose space we can use in a variety of ways.
"It will also mean we can reinstate the parking spaces the temporary buildings were placed on, benefiting staff, students, and our neighbours."
"We hope to begin building in the new year and complete in the autumn, ready for our new students."
The college was last inspected by Ofsted at the end of 2021, when it was given an overall rating of "Good". The quality of education, the education programme for young people, and the provision for learners with high-needs funding were rated "Outstanding".
At the time of the inspection, there were 1,327 young people at the college, plus 199 adult students and 12 apprentices.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here