A college is set to build a multi-million pound centre for science, technology, engineering and maths.

The College at Braintree, in Church Lane, has submitted an application to the Braintree Council.

A previous planning application for a centre in 2015 was withdrawn three months later.

The two-storey building will mean a cluster of nine buildings will be removed from the college’s site.

The new building will go alongside a Stem Innovation Centre, which opened in April last year after funding was awarded by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.

The planning application said: “In the five years prior to merger with Colchester Institute on January 1, 2010 Braintree campus had little or no capital investment or improvement, as a result Colchester Institute inherited a large campus site in very poor condition.”

Since the merge around £3 million had been invested in upgrading the site.

It added: “Whilst this dealt with immediate inoperable conditions, it did not immediately enhance teaching and delivery resources.”

College principal and chief executive Alison Andreas said: “It is fantastic to have the opportunity  to build on the success our STEM Innovation Centre has seen over the twelve months it has been open. 

"By adding this further outstanding two storey building to the campus we will be able to providem, for the full range of courses run from the College, environments for professional and technical learning  that are unrivalled in this part of Essex. 

"New refectory and library spaces within existing accommodation will complement the high tech workshops and classrooms, from which we will deliver to both post-16 students and adults, a wide range of full and part time programmes."

To view the application visit publicaccess.braintree.gov.uk and use reference 18/01253/FUL.