A decision on whether City College Norwich can create a new campus in the centre of the city will be made tomorrow.

The college wants to turn Norfolk House, in Exchange Street, into a higher education campus, which would see about 450 students switch from the Ipswich Road buildings to the new base.

Norwich City Council's planning committee will tomorrow decide whether to grant a change of use application to allow the building, currently office space for companies including the Royal Bank of Scotland, for educational purposes.

Teaching of its higher education courses is currently split across its two existing sites at Ipswich Road – its main campus – and St Andrews House which has become the focus for its business and finance courses.

But the college says the distance between the two locations has caused logistical and timetabling problems for staff and students.

Instead, it wants to base all its higher education courses at the two more central sites, creating a city centre campus for learners.

The Ipswich Road base would remain the base for workshop-based training, and freeing up the space there could mean more further education could be provided there.

There are currently 1,500 full and part-time students competing higher education courses with City College in areas including health and social care, business management, creative arts, journalism, culinary arts, construction, and sports science and personal fitness training.

The building would be open from 7.30am to 10pm, Monday to Friday and from 7.30pm to 6pm on Saturdays.

Officers at City Hall are recommending that the plans are approved by the planning committee. The report which will come before councillors states: 'Being in close proximity to the existing college facility at St Andrew's House, Norfolk House will provide students with a more accessible location which isn't car dependent... but which is thought likely to facilitate more expenditure in city centre business and retail.'

• Do you have an education story? Call Norwich Evening News education reporter Victoria Leggett on 01603 772468 or email victoria.leggett@archant.co.uk