Brent Council could lend a college up to £50 million that would enable it to “develop its new facilities” in Wembley.

United Colleges, which also has sites in Paddington Green and Willesden, asked for the loan to support a new proposed centre in Fulton Road.

The council’s cabinet agreed to fulfil the bridging gap after the college failed to secure funding from commercial sources.

Cllr Margaret McLennan, deputy leader at Brent Council, said: “These are very exciting and enhanced facilities.

“This bridging loan will ensure that the development can go forward and will allow us to have the facilities that we desire for our borough.”

She added it is an example of the council “enhancing the aspirations” of young people by supporting educational projects.

United Colleges offers a range of post-16 qualifications, from traditional A-Levels to various vocational courses.

It is selling its current site in Wembley Park Drive, to developer Quintain, which will be turned into private housing.

Using the money generated from this sale, and the council’s loan, it hopes to develop a modern centre in Fulton Road, which currently houses Network Homes.

It also will receive additional money from the sale of land in Willesden for more housing, but this is unlikely to come forward before the new Wembley site is developed, hence the need for a loan.

Cllr Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, said this support will “give options to those who want to progress and improve themselves”.

A council report noted it expects the loan, and interest, to be recovered. It is also looking at sharing the risk associated with lending with another party such as Homes England.

It stated that, ultimately, the financial risks attached to the decision “must be set against the wider social benefits anticipated from successful delivery of the development”.

The final amount of money lent – and the details surrounding interest – are set to be decided.