STUDENTS were last night hopeful their college would still get a much-needed revamp despite the Government pulling the plug on redevelopment plans.

Abingdon and Witney College suffered a devastating blow to a planned £30m overhaul of its Witney campus in June when the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) said it could no longer fund the project.

Students had already moved into temporary classrooms, while some of the old buildings had been demolished to allow builders to move onto the site.

However, it has emerged the college has come up with a £9m plan to fund a smaller-scale project.

The college’s director of development Steve Billcliffe said: “We are not going to find this money from the Government; there is no point waiting any longer.

“We feel a lot more liberated now it is in our hands.”

The new proposals would see half of the buildings on the Holloway Road site refurbished, and the other half, towards Welch Way, demolished and replaced with a three-storey centre.

The scheme will be put to the LSC next Wednesday.

The original plans involved all of the current buildings being knocked down to make way for a new complex.

Mr Billcliffe added: “It’s about a third of the original plan, but we can get an awful lot for a small amount of money if we are prepared to accept this.”

It is hoped the existing planning permission can be amended to fit the new proposal, which will be put before governors on December 12.

Governor Terry Stock, of the estates steering group, said: “The governors were initially a bit angry, a bit frustrated, and deeply disappointed that we couldn’t proceed. But we are determined to get these hoardings down as soon as we can and get a glorious college here in Witney.”

Student Jonathan Savage, 17, of Alvescot, said: “The plans are good to hear. At the moment space is a little short.”

Rebecca Deans , 17, of Witney, added: “When it’s done it will be absolutely brilliant.”

If all goes according to plan, building work could start next spring and be ready in September 2011.

Mr Billcliffe was confident the college can afford the multi-million pound loan it needs to complete the scheme. He said: “This year, our three college campuses (Abingdon, Witney and Common Leys, in Hailey) have all increased their numbers by nine per cent. We are just short of 2,000 full-time students.

“Every one of those students generates income from the Government and the business of the college is much more secure.”

witney@oxfordmail.co.uk