A "superb" multi million pound college development is set to bring the entire world within the reach of everyone in the Harold community.

Fulfilling its long-held aim to bring Education to all, Havering College has announced plans for a new £2million resource room to be built at its Quarles Campus, Tring Gardens, Harold Hill, catering not only for students but members of the public as well.

Hi-tech resources like CD Rom facilities, internet connections and computers will complement more traditional library fixtures like books and desks, in the 700 square metre room.

A language unit will beam down foreign TV programmes via satellite for the benefit of French, Spanish and German students.

And via a cable link the room will also have access to the world-wide research facilities to be incorporated in another state of the art learning centre being built at Ardleigh Green Campus in Hornchurch as part of an overall £7million college facelift.

The room is just one feature of the Quarles development, which will physically link the two buildings at Quarles when it is completed in September 2001.

New lifts providing disabled access, student guidance facilities and a new restaurant tuition facility for catering students will also grace the extension.

College principal Noel Otley said: "It will be a superb facility. The college has wanted something like this for some time and I saw a similar facility built when I worked at Uxbridge College, West London.

"The resources will be open to the unemployed, people living around the college and anyone else with a serious interest in learning.

"They will have access to the internet and we would hope not to make a charge, although we haven't decided yet.

"Of course, it is normally for our students and we don't want hordes turning up but the Harold community is welcome."

The college-community link is one new vice principal Avril Lawrence is also promoting.

As well as working on plans for the new building, she is looking at providing training for Harold people whose lack of time or money currently deters them from furthering their education.

Work will begin on the Quarles facility in September and will be funded partly by a bank loan, college reserves and and the Further Education Funding Council.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.