A UNIVERSITY for Hereford has taken a step closer to becoming a reality after the chancellor announced the government's support.

Chancellor George Osborne said in his autumn statement and spending review yesterday that support will be provided to secure launch funding to create a new university in Hereford focused on engineering in 2016, subject to relevant approvals.

The university will be a New Model in Technology and Engineering (NMITE).

NMiTE’s co-project leader Karen Usher welcomed the chancellor’s commitment.

She said: "We are truly closer than we have ever been to the prospect of a university opening in Herefordshire and we are on target for our first students in 2018."

She added: “This is a tremendous vote of confidence for an institution that seeks to have 50:50 male/female students and faculty, have learning-by-doing at its heart and plans to deliver the equivalent of an MEng degree in three 46-week academic years.

"It will also help us to secure matched corporate and philanthropic funding.”

In a letter to MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire, Jesse Norman, the chancellor wrote that he hopes “this will allow the institution to start teaching the engineering students of the future that our country needs before the end of the Parliament.”

Mr Norman said: "As you know, I believe this could be the most important single development for Herefordshire since the building of Hereford Cathedral.

"There is still a great deal of work to do. But today’s announcement is a massive step forward, and testimony to the hard work put in by team leaders Karen Usher and David Sheppard, and all involved with the project."

MP for North Herefordshire, Bill Wiggin, said he was delighted by the announcement.

He said: "This is an exciting project for Herefordshire that will bring jobs and fantastic opportunities for young people in the county.

"In the spending review and autumn statement the government has taken action as promised during the election to protect our economic and national security.”