BIRMINGHAM Metropolitan College has received further funding for its Stourbridge campus in addition to a £5million revamp currently taking place at the Hagley Road site.

The college has been granted another £1.5 million which will be used to improve existing class and staff rooms as well as providing a new refectory while resurrecting the former engineering block at the back of the campus at the same time.

Work is expected to start immediately and be completed by the beginning of September in time for the new term.

Three science laboratories will be refurbished and re-kitted while the engineering block will be back up and running.

The work will only add to the changing face of the Stourbridge campus, where improvements are currently taking place to the reception area.

A health and social care centre of excellence is also being created and the project is expected to be completed by February.

But college chiefs have stressed it's still business as usual.

John Starmer, executive director of estates, insisted: "We will ensure that most of the interior refurbishment work will be completed in time for the new academic year starting in September, which will mean that both students and staff benefit from a state-of-the-art learning environment."

The decision to reintroduce the engineering block comes at the behest of local manufacturing within the Black Country and a college spokesperson confirmed: "Birmingham Metropolitan is aware there has been significant growth in manufacturing within this area and that job vacancies will be forthcoming as a result. The fear is there could be a skills shortage and the college has acted to address that.

"It has been a long time since there has been any investment in the Stourbridge campus, which is now 60 years old and the work taking place now will give the site a real facelift."

The campus will remain fully operational while the work takes place, with access provided by the Heath Lane entrance only.