A PLAN to build a city college training centre next to the new Fortis offices looks set to be approved.

The latest application to change the use of a proposed building comes as part of a wider development of the site off Midland Road by one of the city’s biggest social housing providers Fortis Living.

The housing provider is already building a new office block to the north of the site and would be handing over one of the buildings in the development to Heart of Worcestershire College so it can be used as a training centre for some of its engineering apprentices.

Fortis, as part of the wider development on the site, was granted permission in 2017 to build the new two-storey office block as well as around 1,400 metres squared of floor space across three units to be used for light industrial and storage and distribution purposes.

A new application was required to be submitted to council planners to change the use of the site as the building has not yet been built.

The building would give the college the opportunity to train automotive, plumbing and heating students and apprentices.

The college would be welcomed into the building as no occupier for the units was earmarked when permission was granted.

A new access road has already been built to serve the whole development – including the new Fortis offices to the north – and runs to the western edge of the application.

A car park would separate both sites.

In total, 128 car parking spaces have been proposed as part of the whole development with 70 spaces separating the new units and the new Fortis offices.

Alongside that, 43 car parking spaces would be placed at the front and side of the Fortis offices and 15 spaces would run along the front of the latest development.

Solar panels would also be fitted on the roof of each unit.

Fortis would be moving from its current home in Progress House to the new office space next door once work has been completed.

The plans were supported enthusiastically by the council’s economic development team.

No objections were raised to the application.

A decision will be made by Worcester City Council's planning committee at a meeting on Thursday (February 21).