Wiltshire College Trowbridge has submitted a planning application to move to the site of the former Bowyers factory in the heart of the town, in a project which is expected to cost £46m.

The scheme will see the college move from College Road to land off Stallard Street, with the former college campus sold.

Speaking at a meeting with the public at the Arc Theatre in Trowbridge, on Tuesday night, college vice-principal David Holdsworth said: “We want to be at the heart of the community and help start the regeneration in Trowbridge, and we believe this will really lift the place. We want to construct a site that will excite, enthuse and inspire.”

Mr Holdsworth said if the college’s planning application is successful construction will start in February next year, with an opening date of March 2012.

But the college are waiting to hear if the Learning and Skills Council will give funding to the project. At present no bids have been made for the current site in College Road.

Keystone Project Management, from Clevedon, and AWW Architects, who have offices in Bristol, London and Plymouth, are overseeing the project. David Perkin, AWW Architect’s lead designer, described the college’s proposed move as a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’, but expressed concerns over the Bowyers site. He said: “Although the site offers a great many advantages for the college it’s also extremely challenging.

“You can imagine the state of the ground after being used as a factory for so many years, and there are flood risk issues from the River Biss that we’ve been looking into. A public footpath runs right through the site but we plan to retain and enhance this public access.”

Mr Perkin also expressed concerns regarding Stallard Street, which he described as a ‘noise generator’.

The new college will include the relocated Arc Theatre, a sports hall, an outside all-weather sports pitch, a motor vehicle workshop and car park, as well as the main college building, which will include a courtyard.

A separate planning application has been made for a retail and residential centre, thought to include a bar and cafe, on the north east corner of the site, between the footpath and Shails Lane, by landowner Poppy Holdings,who are believed to be acting on behalf of Bowyers.

The plans are likely to be considered by the new Wiltshire Council’s strategic planning committee in May.