MULTI-MILLION pound plans to redevelop Worthing and Northbrook colleges have had to be temporarily shelved after it was announced last week government funding had been axed.
Both colleges had secured, in principle, more than £100million-worth of grants between them from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) towards ambitious plans to create new "21st century" colleges.
But earlier this year, the LSC announced it would be a postponing any final decisions.
No the principals discovered they would not be getting the funding to enable them to start building work this year as planned.
Peter Corrigan, principal of Worthing College, in Bolsover Road, said: "We are very disappointed, but we will pick ourselves up and carry on.
"We are still a very good college and we will get there eventually. This is not going to stop us becoming even better."
Wasted moneyDavid Percival, principal of Northbrook College, said: "Northbrook College will now need to reflect on the options for improving accommodation for learners as soon as possible.
"Had we known four years ago what we know now, we would, of course, have taken different decisions.
"The most recent decision from the LSC has not only potentially wasted a lot of public money but also lost the college at least four years in terms of making progress."
The scheme would have seen redevelopment work at Worthing College and the Broadwater campus of Northbrook College.
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