King Alfred's College, Winchester, is to offer a range of university-level programmes in Basingstoke from next September.

A cabinet meeting of Basingstoke and Deane District Council has agreed to rent Chute House to King Alfred's College for an initial period of five years at a rent of £15,000 per year.

The decision means that Basingstoke residents will now be able to undertake degree programmes at a local campus.

Initial programmes are likely to include a BA in management and business administration, postgraduate and undergraduate courses in performing arts, a new masters programme in world studies, a foundation degree in creative industries and early years mentoring and teaching courses.

Principal, Professor Paul Light, said: "We hope this initiative will appeal to all kinds of people, especially mature learners who are probably already in employment and want to study in the day or evening.

"There are a number of ways in which we can assess and accredit prior learning and experience to ensure that the skills they already have are properly valued."

King Alfred's hopes that the Chute House campus will attract up to 500 students in the next four or five years.

"We want to work closely with Basingstoke College of Technology, Queen Mary's and schools in the area to ensure that this is a positive development for everyone in the local community," said Professor Light.

"We have a long relationship with Basingstoke in providing nursing training and INSET provision within schools.

"But this is the first general higher education platform and we are very excited about it.

"We look forward to working in partnership with Basingstoke and Deane, as well as Hampshire County Council and, more broadly, with local businesses and community groups."

l More details on (01962) 822564, or e-mail P.Chamberlain@wkac.ac.uk