THE University of Winchester has been given the green light for a new £5.6m building.

City council planners rubber-stamped the new state-of-the-art learning and teaching building, which will include eight lecture rooms and be located at the heart of the King Alfred campus. Of the lecture rooms, six will be 80-seat and two 70-seat, while four of the rooms will be double height.

Plans also include an atrium, which connects the development with the nearby St Edburga building, including a mezzanine area with open access PCs.

The new development will be built at the foot of the old exam hall and arts centre, with work set to be completed by September 2012.