Old 1960s and 1970s buildings are to be replaced as part of the radical makeover, which is due to start in summer 2009.

The college has submitted an application for funding support to the Learning and Skills Council, with a decision on funding due in the autumn.

A noticeable change will be the creation of a new 'high status' building at the western end of the campus, with a new main entrance, and a raft of salons, restaurants and performance spaces in the building.

The area around the Lavant will also be landscaped.

Principal Dr Richard Parker said with around one fifth of the college's students now coming from overseas – from more than 100 countries – it was more important than ever to have world-class facilities to attract them.

He said: 'At the moment all of our public facing buildings are all buiried deep in the middle of the college because of piecemeal development, and we're now going to concentrate all that in a brand new facility in the western end.

'There are quite a lot of antiquated and frankly quite tatty buildings there, but when we open the new development you'll have installations, a bistro, it'll be a beautiful new building.

'Not just a couple of old buildings will be knocked down – virtually everything. This is the most significant redevelopment in the college in its lifetime.

The only other recent investment was a £5m teaching block, so by far and away this is the biggest thing for the college in its history.'

It is expected the college will need to rely on temporary accommodation throughout the period of the construction work.

Construction is due to take place in two phases, with work scheduled for completion in 2013.