PLANS for a £5million skills centre in Newton Abbot look set to be given the go-ahead.

Proposals to transform land at Collett Way into a skills training centre for teenagers and adults will go before planners at Teignbridge Council today.

Project leader Vyv Game said: "This is great news — we are one step closer to making it a reality."

Teignbridge Council's development control committee will consider the application for the centre to re-engage pupils who are dropping out of education early.

It will provide a focus for supporting pupils aged between 14 and 19, introductory skills courses for young learners who have reached statutory school leaving age and basic skills training to support courses at local colleges.

The centre will complement the further education provided at South Devon College and Exeter College.

It has been put together by the Sixth Form Partnership, made up of Teign School, Coombeshead College and Newton Abbot College.

The training centre will offer courses in beauty therapy, catering and hospitality, health and social care, construction and motor vehicle engineering.

There will also be adult training courses, principally in business and information technology.

The building will house general meeting and teaching rooms, IT rooms and will be able to accommodate informal and formal meetings and lectures.

It will be built as a contemporary single and two-storey flat roofed building with a cafe, nursery and outside areas.

Part of the building will house a media centre capable for use as a broadcast studio and media teaching room.

The plan has been recommended for approval, subject to conditions.

Teign School head teacher Mr Game is project executive officer.

He took on the mantle from Coombeshead College's former principal Richard Haigh, who retired as project manager last year.

Mr Game said: "We are very much looking forward to the plan going to the committee. It's a positive step in the right direction.

"There has been a lot of work to get to this stage and there is still more to do, but this takes it closer to our realisation for a Newton Abbot-based skills centre."

The lion's share of funding, £4million, is expected to come from the Learning and Skills Council, but no announcement has yet been made.

Alternative plans have been made in case the funding bid is unsuccessful, with up to £1million already committed by Devon County Council.

Mr Game added: "We are still waiting to hear from the Learning and Skills Council about the funding, but despite that we are continuing our preparations."

The Collett Way site was originally earmarked by Teignbridge Council for a £2.8million business park, but the plans were put on hold last year due to the recession.

The land was identified as a prime location for the vocational centre last October.

Last month Teignbridge Council sold the plot of land for the new centre on Brunel Industrial Estate to the county council and indications were given that the planning application would follow quickly.