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A pivotal site visit will be held with councillors later this month ahead of deciding whether to redevelop part of a college campus in Mansfield.

Last week, Mansfield Council’s planning committee delayed its decision about whether West Nottinghamshire College can change its Chesterfield Road site.

The committee feared the plans, which are based within the West Gate Conservation Area, would impact the area’s character.

The college, which is working in partnership with the council, wants to demolish the empty former School of Arts building and build new learning facilities, including a T-levels centre for vocational qualifications in a bid to redress what the college says is a “significant” skills gap across Mansfield.

An artist's impression of the new education facility planned at West Nottinghamshire College's Chesterfield Road Campus. Image by Ellis Williams/West Nottinghamshire College)

Other parts of the project include alterations to the historic Ashfield House building and the removal of the building’s extensions and connections to the School of Art.

However,councillors debating the plans on July 31 requested a site visit at the campus to determine whether the plans should be given consent.

They feared demolishing buildings protected by the existing conservation area would impact the wider area and wanted to take a closer look.

Now the authority has confirmed the committee will visit the college on August 14 to view the campus, so a decision can be made on its future.

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The council’s planning department is then expected to again recommend approval for the plans, as it did for the July meeting.

The department said: “It’s considered the assessment contained within the report of July 31 remains valid.”

In the meeting, Coun Jack Stephenson, who represents Market Warsop, moved the deferral and site visit, because “visual assessment is necessary”.

He said: “It’s a good-looking building and there are concerns it’s going to be knocked down in a conservation area. I think it would be wise to have a site visit, so we can see it for ourselves.”

However, the decision led to Andrew Cropley, college principal and chief executive, frustratingly slamming his laptop shut and airing his concerns to the chamber.

Speaking from the public gallery, he said: “This is going to put this project at massive risk.”

After the decision was made, he said the project was already at risk due to previous delays in the planning process.

Crunch site visit date confirmed for £8.8m Mansfield college redevelopment