Ian Clarke An ambitious scheme to create a £2m training centre to give hundreds of young people in Mid Norfolk a better chance of getting a job is set to clear another hurdle this week.

Ian Clarke

An ambitious scheme to create a £2m training centre to give hundreds of young people in Mid Norfolk a better chance of getting a job is set to clear another hurdle this week.

Wayland Community High School at Watton wants to build the vocational centre for the construction industry, which will teach skills such as plumbing, carpentry, electrics and bricklaying.

It is particularly aimed at 14-19-year-olds but will also help adults learn new skills or get refresher courses.

The centre would have five class/workshops and be on the Wayland site, but have a separate access on to Merton Road.

There are a wide range of partners involved including Wayland, Methwold High School, the College of West Anglia, Norwich City College, Mansell Construction Company, the Learning and Skills Council, Norfolk Learning Authority, the East of England Development Agency and the Hethel Engineering Centre.

On Friday Norfolk County Council's planning regulatory committee will be recommended to give officers the power to grant planning permission, subject to the views of the secretary of state over loss of playing field land.

Sport England is the only objector and there has been widespread support for the plan.

A report to the committee says: “The existing sports playing pitches will remain unaffected and the educational, economic and community benefits of the proposal are considered to outweigh the loss of the area of playing field.”