BUDMOUTH Technology College in Weymouth could be completely rebuilt at a cost of £30.4 million.

The site off Chickerell Road, where more than 1,600 students are taught, announced its sweeping development proposals today.

Dorset County Council has already agreed to replace the main Clare Hall accommodation block in a £10 million development, but principal David Akers said the college wanted to go much further and make Budmouth a flagship educational site for the South Coast.

He added: "To do that we want to redevelop the whole of the rest of the site including the teaching block, arts centre, nursery, sixth form block and the music and arts centre.

"We are fortunate to already have a state-of-the-art sports centre and design and technology block which will remain untouched."

Budmouth's proposals for an extra £20.4 million from the Government's Building Schools for the Future project will now be considered for support or refusal by the county's cabinet committee on February 1.

If the cabinet and a later full council meeting agree the project, then work could start this summer and be finished by 2008-2009.

Budmouth governor and Weymouth county councillor Mike Byatt backed a new school and said: "Budmouth provides an excellent education service and I believe the county council should support its ambition for a completely new school which will give its students the best possible environment in which to learn.

"This is a priority decision for the county council and, in my view, the case for Budmouth is clear."

The project is also being backed by local MPs.

West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin said: "Budmouth has achieved great things over the past few years.

"The time has now come to recognise this and to give the school a foundation for the future by a thorough overhaul of its antiquated buildings."

South Dorset MP Jim Knight said: "The complete redevelopment of Budmouth gets my wholehearted support. It is something which should be a priority for the county council.

"I think Budmouth deserves it. The college has shown a huge improvement in recent years in its results and in its standards. New buildings would allow that trend to continue."

Mr Akers said that 15 months had been spent producing a master plan document for Budmouth's proposed development.

He added: "We hope it will show our future blueprint for the school and for our involvement with the Weymouth and Portland community. Budmouth is currently two schools cobbled together from the old Weymouth Grammar School and Westham Secondary School.

"The new school we propose would have one purpose-built accommodation block to allow us to develop our curriculum for our community of learners now and for the next 20 years."

He said he felt that the £30 million project made 'economic sense' and he added: "It puts all resources and facilities on one site and demonstrates real value for money. If only Clare Hall is developed then it will mean a major setback, measured in years, for our vision of a new school."

If the county council backs Budmouth's proposal then school numbers could rise from 1,600 to 1,675.

Mr Akers said that Budmouth's efforts to advance were backed by a number of groups, including the Chesil Education Partnership whose executive director Gary Fooks said a new Budmouth was vital for education in the area and the 'tired and worked-out building' needed to be fully replaced.

He added: "As a partnership we are committed to raising standards.

"More and more through collaborative working we share resources and skills for the benefit of all learners in the partnership.

"Any scaling-back of the Budmouth development will have an adverse impact on the learning of many."

New resources, which will also be available for the general public, include an arts gallery and arts resource base and a business enterprise centre.

Budmouth business and industry liaison manager Jane Fooks said: "The continued success and growth of our local economy depends entirely on the ability of our community to turn ideas, skills and innovations into enterprise - enterprise that creates business and employment.

"For this singular reason it is vital that we develop enterprise skills in our young people. This will be the key role for the Budmouth Enterprise Centre."

Other supporters include chair of governors Rose Bruce, who said: "We are looking forward towards being able to expand the school towards our vision for the next 20 years.

"This will develop not just all the students but the local community as well."

Parent governor Anne Bosomworth said: "To me as a parent this proposal can only be a positive step forward towards having an all- purpose building where the pupils can have a much better learning environment than they currently do."