A college could get a multi-million pound revamp a year after original plans were cancelled when the Learning and Skills Council, which funds colleges, ran out of money.

Now Abingdon and Witney College has secured £1m from the LSC’s successor, the Skills Funding Agency, for the revamp of its Witney campus.

It is now seeking planning permission for a smaller scheme. It would contribute £6.5m from its own funds and borrow the rest.

The new proposal is for a smaller building than first planned and to ‘completely refurbish’ two existing buildings. The plans include TV and radio studios with editing suites, two beauty salons, two hairdressing salons, art and design studios, science labs, a library and IT facilities.

Vice principal Di Batchelor said the revamp would offer the same facilities as first planned.

She said: “It is true that it is downsized, but we are not downsizing in terms of what we are giving to the students.

“What we are delivering is a building which is less wow on the outside, because we don’t have all that money to throw at it, but on the inside our students will be getting the same. At the end of the day students care about what’s inside.”

The college hopes the re-development will be finished and open by March 2012.

West Oxfordshire District Council will decide whether to grant planning permission for the scheme on December 8.