EXETER College has put its plans on show for the former Ruskin building in Walton Street.

Earlier this year Ruskin completed its move from Jericho to a new multi-million pound campus in Old Headington. Its former building, completed in 1912, has been sold to Exeter College which is planning to use the building for classrooms and accommodation for 100 students.

Plans are currently being finalised but the college put its preliminary plans on show last week.

Susan Gillingham, who lives in Cranham Street, said: “As a first stage it was interesting.

“It was originally intended for teaching and student accommodation so there will be no change. They are rather depressing, these empty buildings.”

Ruskin College was founded in 1899 in St Giles but moved to its Walton Street site four years later. In 1912 the original building was replaced with the existing one, with foundation stones laid by CW Bowerman, a former president of the Trades Union Congress, and Amne Gafflin, a founder of the college. The building was sold to Exeter College in 2010 for £7m and Ruskin has moved all its buildings to its new multi- million pound campus in Dunstan Road.

Ruskin opened its new £17m building, which includes a library, classrooms and offices, at the end of October.

Exeter College said it wants to turn the building into its “third quad”. Work is expected to be completed in time for the Turl Street college’s 700th anniversary in 2014.

Award-winning architect Alison Brooks won the competition to design the redevelopment. Her designs are based around two courtyards – an existing 19th century one and a new 21st century one – connected by a series of cloisters, garden walks and staircases.

As well as accommodation the building will have a lecture theatre, teaching rooms and study facilities as well as several social spaces.

Exeter intends to put more details on show early next year before an application is submitted.

The cost of the development has not been revealed.