College wants vacant depot building to run courses

A vacant depot building could be reused as a base for apprentices to learn construction skills if a planning application is approved.

The unit in Horspath Road, Oxford, was previously used by Oxford City Council's company Oxford Direct Services but Abingdon and Witney College wants to take it over.

A planning application on the college's behalf said up to 24 students would attend full-time courses at the unit and another 30 would attend other courses.

Under the proposal, trades that could be taught there include plumbing, property maintenance, electrical installation, carpentry and joinery.

The college said it would be similar to other training centres in Witney and Bicester, which seek to "address the skills shortage evident in the construction sector across Oxfordshire and the wider region".

It said that because its potential students live locally, there would be no strain placed on the housing market.

The planning application said the project would "make good use of an existing underused building in an accessible location without causing any harmful local impacts".

Oxford City Council is currently considering the proposal.

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