A CHESTER college campus has been given the green light to turn its existing motor vehicle workshop into a new digital teaching facility.

The revamp forms part of Cheshire College South & West's plans to relocate the teaching of motor vehicle engineering to its Ellesmere Port site.

Its proposal to remodel and refurbish the workshop at its Eaton Road base in Handbridge was rubber stamped by Cheshire West and Chester Council this week.

A separate planning application to relocate the motor vehicle engineering provision to the Ellesmere Port campus has been submitted and is currently under consideration.

In Cheshire College South & West's planning application for the Chester campus proposal, it states: "The proposed development includes the remodelling and refurbishment of the existing motor vehicle workshop to provide a new multi-purpose and digital teaching block.

"The remodelled accommodation will redevelop 588m² of existing floor space in total including multi-purpose teaching rooms, a dedicated digital learning space, staff room, break-out/communal space and welfare facilities.

"The form and scale of the existing building will remain unchanged with the exception of the provision of additional windows to allow natural light into the proposed teaching accommodation together with the removal of the existing full-height roller shutters and the replacement with glazed curtain walling to allow a significant amount of natural light into the proposed communal areas.

"The height of the proposed building will remain as existing."

In a report recommending approval, council case officer Brian Leonard states: "The proposal responds to an increasing demand for digital teaching provision, and a separate proposal to relocate the motor vehicle engineering provision to the Ellesmere Port campus to reflect the local demographic and limit travel between geographic areas.

"The existing size, scale and massing of the original building is to remain the same, and no increase in building footprint is proposed.

"This not only offers a solution that has no impact on existing car parking or green space provision on site, but also incurs no impact on ecological and environmental conditions on site at the same time as providing a more sustainable solution and making best use of the existing building stock available.

"The council's highways officer requested additional information with regard to potential increase in student numbers and demands on parking and that any potential uplift can be met on site.

"Following the submission of additional information, these concerns have been alleviated and the proposal is not considered to give rise to a significant impact on the operation of the highway or degree of car parking demand on site.

"All vehicle access and car parking will remain as existing. External materials are to remain generally as the existing with the exception of the front elevation, and the provision of additional windows.

"The development is not inappropriate development in the North Cheshire Green Belt.

"The proposed alterations to the building is not considered to result in an undue detriment to the

amenity of neighbouring properties."