COLLEGE chiefs are to close a campus in Dartford and move it to Wilmington as part of a £15.3 million project.

Negotiations on moving North West Kent College in Miskin Road to the University of Greenwich in Oakfield Lane are underway. The college has been running a wide range of academic and vocational programmes at its present site since the 1950s.

Nearly 3,000 students on more than 250 full-time and part-time courses will be involved in the transfer which will take place over a 10-month period beginning this summer.

College principal, Malcolm Bell, said: "This exciting new development will enable us to provide substantially improved facilities for our students. Every effort will be made by the college to ensure the move happens as smoothly and trouble-free as possible."

The national Learning and Skills Council approved a grant to fund the purchase of the new site. The college had been planning to demolish and re-build sections of its existing building as part of a £7.35 million scheme. The Miskin Theatre will also move to Wilmington as part of the project.