THE planned £100m merger of Dudley and Stourbridge College is set to begin in August next year.

A proposed merger date of August 1, 2008 has been agreed for the super college' link-up by governors from both sites.

The new main site will called the Dudley Borough Group of FE Colleges, according to college chiefs.

Work is also well underway to appoint an overall Principal for the new merged college to act as a figurehead for the new-look college.

The site will be split up into three campuses at the existing Stourbridge and Dudley sites with a state-of-the-art complex planned for Brierley Hill.

The innovative plans include the construction of a new £40m visual and performing arts centre in Brierley Hill, a £17m engineering centre at Dudley's Broadway campus and a revamp of the Hagley Road campus in Stourbridge.

Each of these separate campus sites will have their own individual names and identity.

All of the work currently going on is subject to the merger being approved by both sites- which is due to take place next month (December). The potential merger was agreed in June this year.

Merger plans are gathering pace and are subject to statutory consultation and a due diligence' process which will confirm the financial standing of each of the two colleges. This is expected to be completed next January.

The governing body in charge of taking the merger plans forward will include five members from the current Dudley and Stourbridge Corporations, five other individuals will also be recruited.

The project was hailed by then Dudley College interim principal Neil Bromley in June as "an exciting and positive step forward".

Rosemary Slater, chair of governors for Stourbridge College, and her counterpart at Dudley College, Viv Astling, said the proposed plans are at an early stage but would provide a "stronger and more responsive" college.

They said: "Both corporations are confident a merged college will be a stronger, more responsive college, better able to meet the future needs of the Dudley borough.

"It will be better placed to meet the challenges and aspirations of young people, adults and employers by providing a greater choice of quality services from first- class buildings."