SALISBURY'S sixth form college S6C has unveiled initial plans for its new building, which will be ready for September 2015.

Residents and prospective students gathered in The Guildhall to see the plans and hear from the principal Simon Firth and the architects.

The new building, on Tollgate Road, is designed with specialist facilities for teaching Level 3 qualifications.

Mr Firth said: "We put the STEM centre on the top floor, so we can concentrate all our facilities and resources for the teaching of science in one area.

“We put the media, photography and art area on one floor, so that we can focus in on the resources they need. Having a north-facing art and photography room is fantastic because you get that natural light they so desperately need."

Mr Reece said: "The whole project is conceived from off-site construction originally as well to speed up the process.

“Because of the timescales we're working to, that's an absolute necessity. So the groundwork and the first two floors and being done on site as the top floors are being built in the factory. The two literally come together and that's what halves the timescale."

Students are looking forward to having social and educational spaces designed specifically for them and with their input. There will be a café, a common room and the Achievement and Progress Centre, which will have IT resources and well as books and journals. There will also be outside social spaces too.

The Student Voice student council said they'd like the common room to have a kitchenette where they can make hot drinks and feel relaxed in their own space.

A spokesman said: “Feedback on the designs was very positive and there was a lot of excitement about the new building from both staff and current students.

“Local residents described the plans as exciting and said that it was 'an encouraging use of the land', which currently has a disused building on it.

“A churchwarden for St Martin's Church which is next door to the site commented that they are '100 per cent behind this project' and another attendee said that it is 'something Salisbury has needed for a long time'.”