Southampton Itchen MP campaigns for new college in the city

Royston Smith, MP for Southampton Itchen, said he was inspired by a similar college in Portsmouth, which opened in September 2017 and offers science, technology, engineering and maths related subjects.

The UTC in Portsmouth would run the Southampton facility should the Government give it the green light.

READ MORE: City College: Fareham, Eastleigh and City College merge in new group

Royston said: "If this bid is successful, it would be massively positive for the young people of Southampton, who need to learn new skills to equip them for future jobs.

"To have a UTC similar to that in Portsmouth, would be a huge benefit and achievement for the city. This project has been my labour of love since the moment I visited the UTC in Portsmouth."

Speaking in the House of Commons last month, Mr Smith said to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan: "The secretary of state will know that levelling up is not about geography but it is about opportunity, and what better opportunity can we give the children of the future, than a first class education?

"Southampton has put in a bid for a University Technical College in the city.

"Could my right honourable friend confirm that she has seen the bid, she will look favourably upon it, and could she update the House about when we are likely to hear whether or not we have been successful?"

The Education Secretary thanked her 'right honourable friend for his continued campaigning on this project' and saw 'his passion to get a UTC in Southampton'.

She added: "I recently met Becky Smith, one of the fantastic former students of UTC Portsmouth, who is now a degree apprentice studying mechanical engineering at Chichester University and she was full of praise about her time at UTC Portsmouth.

"We are currently going through the applications we have received. We hope to announce the successful application very soon."

An announcement is expected to be made this week.