THE inaugural meeting of the Rolle Project Promotion Group is being convened next month - and anybody with an interest in retaining the former teacher-training college for community use is invited.

THE inaugural meeting of the Rolle Project Promotion Group is being convened next month - and anybody with an interest in retaining the former teacher-training college for community use is invited.

The meeting follows a series of events which makes the prospect of Rolle being retained for community use much more likely than before Christmas.

In September the county council reneged on previous promises to invest money to use the site as a sixth form.

Then in January a Rolle College Community Action Day was held were members of the community, business leaders and politicians including MP Hugo Swire discussed the possible uses for the site and sources of funding.

Ideas included an Exmouth Arts Centre, conference facilities, leasing out the refractory, exhibition on the Jurassic Coast , a hotel, accommodation for international students and use as a sixth form.

Businessman Roger Staker drafted a business plan and it seemed to be accepted that the future of Role College could only be secured with support from both the private and public sector.

Mr Swire then held talks with Bob Cotton, the chief executive of the British Hospitality Association and chairman of the National Skills Academy about using the college as a hospitality academy of excellence and attracting investment from companies like Haven who run Sandy Bay.

Then last month a design brief, laying out a blue point for uses of the college was endorsed and backed by the planning authority, East Devon District Council.

The meeting will be held at Telfer Centre at the community college on Thursday April 22 from 7pm to 9pm.

Member of the group Jenny Budden said: "The aim of the meeting is to update everyone on progress and to get feedback and share ideas and thoughts.

"It's for everyone is on a task group or has an active interest in Rolle."

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