A £44million Public Private Partnership project to construct new education facilities for the Belfast Metropolitan College has officially got underway in the city's Titanic Quarter.

Employment Minister Sir Reg Empey announced the start of the construction phase which will deliver a new 22,000m2 Further Education Campus in the Titanic Quarter of Belfast.

Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony the Minister described the scheme as a "significant milestone in the development of the much needed educational accommodation" for the people of Belfast.

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The building work will take 27 months to complete, with the Titanic Quarter Campus becoming available in August 2011.

Sir Reg said: "Given the constraints of the current financial climate, this investment will be welcomed by the local construction industry and is testimony to the commitment of my Department to provide a Further Education infrastructure equipped to meet the needs of a modern vibrant economy."

The Belfast Metropolitan College had, in the 2007/08 year, 38,046 professional and technical student enrolments and a further 11,050 non-vocational students.

Acting Principal and Chief Executive, Raymond Mullan, said: "We are delighted to be hosting this event and celebrating the launch of the beginning of our new Titanic Campus build project.

"This is a timely and necessary development which will provide a state of the art and inspirational learning environment in a city centre location."

(PR/JM)