THREE out-dated buildings in Wisbech, including the Queen Mary Centre, are set to be closed by Cambridgeshire County Council.

The council-owned community centre, along with offices in Stermyn Street and Churchill Road will be closed, but groups will be able to move into new space in the planned �11.5million project at the College of West Anglia (CWA).

A county council spokesman, said: “The county council is proposing to close three premises in Wisbech. They are old and becoming expensive to run. Some are cramped and the accommodation is of poor quality.

“Subject to planning permission, new space will be created at the new CWA campus in Churchill Road. This will be modern, flexible and much better able to meet the needs of the groups and organisations which previously used the older offices.”

The project includes a �5 million grant to build a new technology block for students providing a training centre for engineering skills and will promote and engage young people in engineering.

A shared building for frontline and backroom council services has also been planned and there will be a chance to see the designs on Wednesday July 20 at the CWA from 9am-5pm.

The new council offices will accommodate approximately 240 staff and aims to deliver services from the county council and partner organisations, allowing for significant efficiency savings by bringing a number of services under one roof.

Councillor Steve Count, cabinet member for performance and resources, said: “This project is a major development in Wisbech which will have benefits for the whole community.

“It is therefore right and proper that we show the public our plans for the site and how they will integrate with the existing campus. If the plans are approved we hope to start work on this new facility in autumn ready for it to make a difference to people’s lives next winter.”