The future of the National Construction College has been thrown into doubt after it was refused permission to develop part of its land to raise funds.

Emergency talks have been set up between Ray Harding, chief executive of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk council, and Andy Walder, a college director, after the college lost a planning appeal for a proposed 250-home development.

The college had wanted to use the development to pay for improvements to the centre and now says that closure of at least some of its facilities is a “real possibility”.

Walder said: “The chief executive of the council is very sympathetic to our situation and he supports the college. I will be meeting him in the next 24 hours to discuss what the borough can do to help us out of this situation.”

Representatives from the college will now study the implications of the decision and the board will meet next month to discuss the report.

They may decide to put in another planning application but with fewer houses.