Construction work on a long-awaited police training college will finally begin next year, the NI Department of Justice has said.

It emerged yesterday that the £140m college - that was one of the police reforms recommended in the Patten report almost ten years ago - is to be built on a 210-acre site near Cookstown in 2012.

The draft budget proposal unveiled by the Justice Department on Tuesday said the Stormont Executive has agreed to provide the final £30m for the project so that the new college will also offer training facilities for the NI Fire and Rescue Service and N I Prison Service.

The beleaguered construction sector will get a major boost when work gets underway in May next year, with the college due to open its doors in June 2014 - with a further fillip planned following news that the Department of Justice also said it planned to start work on a new £12m forensic science facility early next year.

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It has also emerged that £54m has been set aside to replace Magilligan prison and to provide a new prison for women.

DUP Justice Committee Chairman, Lord Morrow of Clogher Valley has welcomed the commitment.

The news came during a Justice Committee meeting when it was confirmed that the final £30min has been secured from the Executive.

Commenting Lord Morrow said: "The development of the new police college in Cookstown is good news for the west of the Province.

"Whilst the project has been in the pipeline for a number of years, those in the construction industry will be glad to hear that building is due to commence next year and be completed by 2014.

"It is also good news for the police who can look forward to a state-of-the-art training facility and forensic science laboratory.

"The PSNI can be proud of the skills within the Force but we need to keep at the cutting-edge of police training to ensure that we have a world class police service," he said.

See: Police College Underway 'In October'

(BMcC/GK)