SHIPLEY College has been given the go ahead for a £357,000 refurbishment of a building in the centre of the Saltaire World Heritage site.

Approval for the works to the Mill Building in Victoria Road has been granted by Bradford Council, and the project will be helped by a £119,000 grant from the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership.

The works will include new energy efficient windows, doors and interior lighting.

The building is used by 150 full time and 300 part time students studying subjects like basic skills, art and design and floristry.

New windows will be double glazed, timber, and designed to look as much like the original windows as possible.

Approving the application, planning officers said: "The proposed works will not have an adverse affect on the character of the listed building, Saltaire Conservation Area or the World Heritage Site."

The building, next to the village's railway station, was originally built as the dining hall for the thousands of workers at Salts Mill on the other side of Victoria Road. It is now one of several buildings run by Shipley College.

The LEP said the grant was given because the college was "clearly aligned" to its ambition to reduce the number of young people not in education, work or training in the Leeds/Bradford area.

The college's application said: "A large majority of the existing timber windows are in generally very poor condition and their replacement is becoming a necessity. Windows that have been replaced previously vary in type and profile resulting in a confused and unappealing aesthetic."

The new windows will be dark green, similar to what has been used in other recent restoration projects in the village.

College principal Nav Chohan said: "We are extremely thankful to the Leeds City Region LEP for this funding for vital refurbishment to the Mill Building.

"The College have developed different proposals to alter and extend the building in a contemporary style and these were well received by the planners and English Heritage.

"With its primary focus on providing pathways to employment or further education for young people with low basic skills and the long term unemployed, the Mill Building directly supports the LEP's recently published targets.

"This £119,000 investment from the LEP forms part of a £357,000 project, the difference being funded by the college, which will ensure that high standards of teaching and learning can be continued.

"Major elements of the building fabric and services are in urgent need of renewal. Improving the technology infrastructure is necessary so that teachers and students can make full use of online materials and learning techniques. Essentially we wish to maintain the Mill Building as a modern, excellent educational environment that will support students long into the future."