Durham University is to build its first new college for 30 years.

The college, which has not been named yet, will house more than 300 students and will be funded under the public finance initiative (PFI).

A private company will run the college, with the university in charge of admission and academic standards.

A spokesman for the university said: "The new undergraduate college is designed to cope with the university's marked success in attracting more students over the past decade.

'Residential places'

"Numbers have risen by 26% to around 10,000 in Durham since 1994, with only a small increase in residential places.

"The new facilities will be part of the university's collegiate system, which currently has 13 colleges and societies in Durham and two at the Queen's Campus, Stockton.

"All rooms will be let on a self-catering basis, which offers new students an alternative to the full-board arrangements at traditional Durham colleges.

"A developer will build and manage the accommodations."

Work is expected to begin by August at Howlands Farm, close to the university's existing Collingwood College.

Durham Students' Union president Ben Wood said: "We will be monitoring the cost of rent because it is a private sector-funded development, but if PFI is the only way to get the new college then so be it."