BURNLEY College has earmarked a site in Princess Way for its new £80million campus, the Lancashire Evening Telegraph can reveal.

College bosses want to move out of Ormerod Road and onto the site of the highways depot and household waste recycling centre, which would then both be moved to another site in the town.

The creation of the campus would enable the college to change its name to the University of East Lancashire and offer more degree courses, while still catering for A-Level students.

It would specialise in health and manufacturing.

College bosses were believed to be considering three sites the Weavers' Triangle, Princess Way, or the former Michelin site which is owned by the North West Regional Development Agency (NWRDA).

Now education bosses have made a final decision and chosen Princess Way.

The choice has left council chiefs slightly disappointed.

They were keen for the college to move on to the Weavers' Triangle site, which they are trying to regenerate as part of a £260million scheme.

However, council chiefs have agreed to dispose of the Princess Way site so the college can move in.

Council leader Gordon Birtwistle said: "We have agreed to hand over the site to the college on the condition that the development goes ahead and the move is now in their hands.

"I believe they are seeking funding and I hope we have contributed in our own small way.

"Having the college in that area of town should hopefully help regenerate the area, especially if they get university status."

Earlier this year the Lancashire Evening Telegraph revealed the college's new university campus for Burnley could be built in just two years.

The news came after one of the most powerful men in the North West, Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the NWRDA, threw his weight and money behind the plans.

Burnley College already offers more than 30 accredited university courses.

A spokesman for the college today refused to comment on the plans.