The Acorns to Oaks charity is preparing to expand into offices on two floors above Ledbury Tourist Information Centre.

The expansion is a further step towards opening a purpose-built £1.5m Community Learning Centre, possibly within two years.

The charity's current Homend offices are next door to the TIC and a wall is currently being removed to link the two premises, with a view to using the extra 2,000 sq ft of office space by February.

The learning and training charity has applied for a £60,000 grant to provide after-school learning rooms, complete with internet access, for youngsters aged five to 13 who require free after-school tuition. The expanded base will also be a centre for remote computer learning, for people in outlying area who wish to take an NVQ in childcare, administration or other subjects, but find it hard to travel to a conventional college.

Joan Morris, Acorns to Oaks managing director, said: "There will be an email link from the students to assessors."

Disabled access to the expanded site will be provided by a £3,000 chairlift, installed at the charity's existing offices at 1A, The Homend.

But the ambitious expansion of Acorns to Oaks pales in comparison with plans for the 17-room, £1.5m Community Learning Centre that could be a part of Ledbury life by late 2005 or early 2006.

Mrs Morris said: "Funding for this purpose will not be difficult, but we need to expand in stages."

Detailed plans for the split-level building have already been drawn up by Hereford architects Rod Robinson but a site in Ledbury has not yet been identified.

Funding is likely to come the likes of Advantage West Midlands and the EU. Groups that have already expressed interest in moving in include the University of the Third Age and Age Concern.

There will be a multi-purpose hall, a cafe area, a kitchen, a crche, a family room, a play therapy room, a toy library, a computer training room, a tuition room, a staff room and a library.