A FLAGSHIP education hub being created at a Dorset college will create at least 10 jobs a year, it has been revealed - as an extra £1m was pledged for the development.

The new University Centre and Rural Business Development Hub at Kingston Maurward College, in Dorchester, is the first of its kind in rural Dorset.

Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) pledged £3.5m towards the creation of the new flagship development designed to help enhance higher education opportunities for young people from all across the county.

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And Kingston Maurward principal, Luke Rake, has confirmed the college will be investing a further £1m into the development, which he said would be 'pivotal in providing higher education skilled workers' for the county.

He added: "It's a £4.5m building project.

"The new centre will provide programmes for students to work with habitats across Dorset."

Mr Rake also said the development hub would provide facilities for agricultural learning.

Recently, a non-tariff trade agreement has been concluded with the EU, and the picture for UK agriculture is significantly clearer, said Mr Rake.

"With the uncertainty around agriculture being removed, we're looking at agricultural education programmes - as we believe it will be a key skill for workers within Dorset going forward," he added.

"This development is pivotal in providing higher education skills to young people - from Portland to Blandford Forum.

"It will also provide support for start-up companies, which can rent the space at the centre.

"Through providing this space, this is how the centre will create at least 10 jobs a year."

The £3.5m investment from the LEP is part of an overall £11.8m Getting Building Fund allocation towards the development.

Dorset LEP director Lorna Carver said: "The combination of a University Centre with a Rural Business Hub will allow Dorset LEP to realise the opportunities described in its own commissioned work, the South West Rural Productivity Commission and the Local Industrial Strategy.

"Our investment in this exciting project will address the significant deficiency in HE provision in rural Dorset, help to plug the productivity gap and provide valuable support to the rural business community.”

The hub, which has been dubbed by Mr Rake as a potential game-changer for the local student and business community, is set to be fully operational by September next year.