SALISBURY College is bringing down the axe on its Tidworth campus, in a bid to cut costs.

At a meeting two weeks ago, the board of corporation decided to pull the plug on the lease agreement in September 2006 and talks are already under way to try and minimise the impact of the closure.

The news comes as interim principal Ray Dowd continues to implement a detailed recovery plan to pull the college out of a £1.5m deficit.

Alternative accommodation will be sought, while some courses could be transferred to the main college site at Southampton Road.

Mr Dowd has given assurances that every effort will be made to keep teaching staff who are currently based at the satellite campus. Until September 2006, the college will remain fully operational and students enrolling on courses at the start of term in September will not be affected.

The college took over the running of the Tidworth campus in 2001 from the Royal British Legion, which owns the building.

Lengthy discussions are taking place between the college and the head of the learning and skills council for Wiltshire and Swindon, to look at the provision of post-16 education in the area.

Reacting to the news, Steve Lawton, chair of Tidworth Community Area Partnership's community plan co-ordinating group, said: "The closure of Tidworth College will create a vacuum that must be filled if local residents across the area are not to be profoundly disadvantaged further.

Wiltshire county councillor Mark Connolly said he is concerned about the closure and the impact it will have on the local area: "I am terribly disappointed with the decision of Salisbury College and in the manner it was announced.

"Salisbury College is supposed to be working with the Tidworth Community Area Partnership and it did not have the decency to inform the members of the partnership of its intention to pull out of the Tidworth area.

Cllr Peter Colling who represents Tidworth, Perham Down and Ludgershall South for Kennet district council said they will be taking the matter up with the Learning and Skills Council.

He said: "It is a terrible waste that these extensive and expensive purpose-built premises will stand empty. This decision runs contrary to national policies to ensure life long learning and access to education for all.