A £10M engineering centre of excellence is expected to open next year after bosses reached a decision on its location.

The South Durham University Technical College (UTC), will be built on Long Tens Way, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

The site will be close to Hitachi Rail Europe’s £82m 730-job factory on the town's business park.

Building work is expected to start in the summer.

Approved by the Government last year, the centre will specialise in engineering and advanced manufacturing, training up to 600 students, including more women, every year from 2018.

The confirmation came on the same day ministers announced the Northern Futures UTC will open in Newcastle in 2017, to nurture the next generation of IT and healthcare experts.

The plans for the two UTCs are led by the University of Sunderland, with Hitachi and car parts maker Gestamp Tallent supporting the Aycliffe venture, and IT companies Accenture and Hewlett Packard, NHS Trusts, and Sedgefield-based radiation detection company Kromek, behind the Newcastle site.

The Aycliffe UTC will be backed by the Department for Education as a state-funded but independent school.

The Northern Echo understands two areas in Aycliffe were under consideration for the development.

Officials say it will help plug a regional skills gap, with the area expected to lose up to 8,500 engineers to retirement by next year.

The university’s Professor Gary Holmes, who is also chairman of trustees, said: “The building design is at an early stage, but will feature a specialist engineering hall and space for large-scale work to take place.

“We have a clear vision to make a significant contribution to education and to the future of North-East engineering.”

The development suffered a setback early last year when the Department for Education (DfE) favoured bids from London, Peterborough, Lincolnshire and Lancashire, despite strong backing from Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, and former Transport Minister, Stephen Hammond.

However, it was revived and received approval in August.

Prof Holmes added: “Our admissions policy has been submitted to DfE.

“It emphasises the recruitment of young people from South Durham and Darlington, who can benefit from the UTC experience.

“We want their experience to be life changing, giving them the chance to learn the skills and get the qualifications required to move into industries where there are jobs.

“We’re particularly keen to see more girls in engineering and part of the UTC’s role will be to expand the horizons of its students.”

The Northern Echo previously saw a document highlighting further details on the development, which emphasised a focus on its curriculum and how it will act as a foundation for students to move into apprenticeships.

According to the report, students aged between 14 and 16-years-old will have their studies split in two, with 60 per cent of work focusing on core subjects, such as maths, science and English, and 40 per cent on technical subjects.

For learners over 16, the divide will change, with 60 per cent devoted to level three (A-Level and Btec) studies in chosen technical areas and maths, with the potential for students to do two further A-levels.

It added plans are in place to take on 240 pupils in its first year, made up of 120 year ten and 120 year 12 pupils.

That number is expected to swell to 540 in the 2017/2018 school year, including 300 year ten and year 12 pupils and 240 year 11 and year 13 students, and 600 in 2018/2019, with 150 youngsters across every group.

Speaking about the Newcastle UTC, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said it would become pivotal tool to help North-East businesses.

She added: "Parents and students will benefit greatly.

"It will become a landmark institution of the North by training thousands of young people, giving them knowledge, skills and qualifications needed to fulfil their potential."