Plans to revamp a city centre college have been radically redrawn and now include a shopping centre run by students.

An £80 million scheme to completely rebuild City College Brighton and Hove was originally unveiled last February.

It involved tearing down the eyesore Pelham Tower at the further education college's campus in Pelham Street near Brighton railway station.

A new version of the proposals has now emerged after they were taken back to the drawing board by the college's new principal Phil Frier, who joined in August.

The latest scheme, which has yet to be finalised, includes the shopping centre as well as a youth hostel, student accommodation, a doctors' surgery and blocks of private and social housing.

All would be built around landscaped open spaces intended to create an attractive public area linking North Laine with London Road and the redeveloped New England Quarter.

The project is now expected to cost more than £100 million and regenerate the area.

Mr Frier said: "I believe that the new Pelham Street Campus will inspire our local communities to engage in learning.

"It will provide buildings that are in the right place for our learners, with the right vocational facilities that are inclusive, efficient and sustainable.

"Being at the heart of a lively commercial area will emphasise for students the skills that are needed in the life of the city."

The plans will be unveiled to Brighton and Hove City Council's environment committee at a meeting at Hove Town Hall in Norton Road at 5pm tomorrow.

They form the centrepiece of proposals for a Knowledge Quarter at the northern edge of the city centre.

The draft plans propose to re-open the disused sculpted archway which was an entrance to the college from York Place, which it is hoped will bring more trade to the road.

At street level the college campus would have shops including a hair and beauty salon and a travel bureau as well as a restaurant, all run by students on related vocational courses.

The college would have provision for around 8,700 students and staff on 16,360 sq m of floorspace in four linked buildings up to eight storeys tall.

Mr Frier said: "The proposed new campus will have a range of levels and its highest point will be at least two storeys lower than the current Pelham Tower. It is envisaged that more than half of the accommodation will be on the third floor or below.

"It gives this part of North Laine a real focus and will provide not only an iconic centre of learning but also an open and attractive pedestrianised space.

"External recreation and leisure space will be used for street performance, exhibitions, and other public activities. As an innovative learning centre it should become a tourist attraction in its own right."

The project would be funded by the Government's Learning and Skills Council, which is paying for college renovations across the country.

Councillor Ian Davey, who represents the St Peter's and North Laine area, said: "The money that is being provided by the LSC brings a great opportunity to bring significant improvement to this area.

"If we were to lose Pelham Tower most people would be happy and what I have seen of the new plans is a definite improvement."

City College will submit a final bid for funding to the LSC in April. The revamped scheme also includes its campuses at the former Comart school in Wilson Avenue and in the new Brighton and Hove Albion stadium at Falmer.

The college said if the plans gained the necessary approvals they hoped to start work in summer 2009 on the new main buildings, which would go up on the existing car park.

Once that was completed in summer 2011 all existing buildings would be demolished and the rest of the building work would begin. A preliminary completion date has been set for 2013.

The college is planning a wide consultation with the community and relevant authorities.

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