The College of West Anglia has been awarded a �1.7m grant to improve its King's Lynn campus.

It is one of 56 colleges to be awarded funds from the third phase of the government's Enhanced Renewal Grant (ERG) scheme, which is contributing �110m towards college building projects across the country.

The college will receive �1.75m and put up �750,000 of its own money to fund a �2.5m refurbishment of the former sports centre on the Tennyson Avenue campus to create new facilities for the creative industries.

The scheme includes teaching, workshop and performance facilities for a the media, TV and film, and performing arts.

Principal David Pomfret said: 'We are delighted with the news. We are one of only a handful of colleges in the country to have been successful in winning funds from each of the three stages of the ERG.

'These funds will enable us to refurbish the former sports centre as well as demolish some of the older buildings on the site, which will become redundant once the refurbished tower block re-opens in summer 2013. 'This latest grant brings the total external funding received in the past three years to �15m, a clear indication of the high regard in which the college is held at national and local government level.'

The college recently opened a new �5.8m technology centre on the King's Lynn campus and is currently building a �7.2m technology centre at the Isle campus in Wisbech.

The �12.5m refurbished 9 storey tower block at the King's Lynn campus is scheduled to open in summer 2013.