Work has begun on the construction of a new £2 million teaching block at Norton Radstock College's Radstock campus.

The new 26,167 square foot, two-storey building, being constructed by Poole-based construction and infrastructure company, Morgan Sindall, replaces the original North Building on the Radstock campus which dated back to the 1950s.

Established in the 1940s to serve the Somerset coalfields, the college now has approximately 1,000 full-time students and 5,000 part-time students, studying a wide range of courses over thirteen curriculum areas.

The new building will house the engineering and motor vehicle courses, general teaching spaces, a student social space and a café. It will also include dedicated space for the Green Skills Academy, a series of courses providing training in renewable technologies and energy efficiency in buildings.

Peter Hodgson, Vice-Principal for Norton Radstock College, said: "We are seeing a growing number of young people in the area interested in taking courses at the college, so we want to ensure we are able to provide current and future students with the best facilities possible. The previous building was in need of a revamp and we are all excited about seeing the new building taking shape over the coming months."

Paul Gale, Area Director for Morgan Sindall, said: "It's great to be involved in a project of this significance which will help Norton Radstock College continue to provide superb learning opportunities to the communities around Bath and Bristol and in Wiltshire and Somerset. The Morgan Sindall team has a wealth of experience in delivering successful schemes in the education sector and operating in existing educational environments, so we're delighted to be able to put that experience to good use on this project."

The building is due for completion in autumn 2013.