A MULTI-million "flagship" building for students and residents is planned at University College Winchester.

The college says the new "cultural venue" will be the second biggest building project at the Sparkford Road campus, and will cost between £8m and £9m.

The four-storey building will replace a 1970s refectory at the college entrance and will provide a new Student Union building.

It will also incorporate a concert hall for more than 1,000 people for use both by the college and the public.

Vice-principal Tommy Geddes told a meeting of the city's Caf Culture at the Slug and Lettuce pub that the plans received outline permission last year.

He said the college needed to improve facilities for its 5,500 students because at present it could only cater for 500 "at a push".

Mr Geddes said that as many students went home at weekends and were not on site at all for 22 weeks of the year because of holidays, it would be a facility "for the whole of Winchester".

He suggested it would be ideal for discos, dances, parties and weddings.

The 3,000 sq m building will include a caf, coffee bars and a dining area in a concourse with views over the city towards St Catherine's Hill.

The music area will feature a large bar, a backstage area and a green room.

Mr Geddes said funding for the project would come from college reserves, bank loans and a £1.7m Treasury grant, and could be open by October 2007.