THE principal of one of the country's leading colleges is hoping to make a personal plea to councillors to allow a multi-million pound revamp.

Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, has unveiled plans for an extension which would bring vastly improved academic and sporting facilities to the town.

But the entire £2.5m project is dependent on the borough council giving the go-ahead for the college to sell off part of its land to Barratt Homes.

Money from that deal - which would see 61 properties built adjacent to the college - would then go towards a extension of the outdated wing facing on to Abbey Road.

The scheme faces considerable opposition from residents, the Council for the Protection of Rural England and the Friends of Stanhope Park.

But principal David Heaton says the benefits to staff and students would be immense, and has hailed the development as the most important in the college's history.

He has asked for permission to explain the plans in detail to planning committee members, who will make the crucial decision on Wednesday.

Central Government has contributed only 35 per cent of the money needed, so the sale of rarely-used sports fields and the drama centre on Trinity Road is essential for the college to meet the costs.

The development would replace 50-year-old classrooms and laboratories, bringing 21st Century facilities for almost every subject taught at the college, which was recently named sixth best in the country.

Mr Heaton said this week that the move would be transformational, coming just weeks after the announcements of an educational village for Darlington and the planned £27m relocation of the College of Technology.

"We feel that such an improvement of facilities is very exciting and the impetus we need to enable us to stay up among the leading providers of post-16 education in the country," he said.

Abbey Road playing fields would also be improved, with a sports pavilion, perimeter fencing and security cameras.