THE secretive sale of major works from an important collection of modern art given to Poole College has caused outrage.

Sculptures and paintings by household names, some potentially worth millions of pounds, are being sold to fund a £4millon building project at Bournemouth and Poole College’s North Road campus.

“It’s awful. I know a lot of people who are very shocked,” said Poole artist Sally Holland, a committee member of Poole and East Dorset Arts Society. “It was known as an exceptional collection for a provincial college.

“Our concern is there was no public consultation. It all seems to have happened under the radar and at the very least there should have been a wider debate on something that was a long standing asset intended for use by the wider community as well as the college.”

Former Poole College principal and artist Arthur Andrews donated the collection of 20th century art, which he began in the 1950s. When the Study Gallery opened in 2000, built partly to house the works, the collection was worth £750,000.

The 100-strong collection of modern British art included noteworthy pieces by leading artists such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Jacob Epstein, Briget Riley, Ivan Hitchens and Stanley Hayter and a Graham Sutherland lithograph.

When the college gallery, by then renamed the Kube, controversially closed in 2010 the collection was loaned to Poole Museum where four works were displayed, a Henry Moore bronze of Mother and Child with an Apple, a Jacob Epstein bronze head of Kathleen, inset, a painting by Ivan Hitchens and a door decorated by Derek Jarman, when a pupil at Canford School.

The latter is on long loan to the museum but it is believed the Moore, Epstein and Hepworth sculptures are among treasures being auctioned through a London gallery. A similar bronze by Moore recently sold for £3.75m.

“I think it will upset those who have seen the growth of the gallery from the days the late Arthur Andrews set it up,” said Ian Andrews, former town clerk and local historian.

The college declined to answer any of the Daily Echo’s questions about the art collection, instead issuing a statement from the Board of the Corporation.

“In January 2013, The Bournemouth and Poole College announced ambitious plans to improve the buildings and learning experience of our students.

“This will provide world class facilities for the long term benefit of students, businesses and the people of Bournemouth and Poole.

“In order to achieve this it has disposed of part of its art collection. All of the proceeds will help fund new state of the art facilities including art and design, science, technology, engineering and maths, marine engineering and entrepreneurship.

“The Bournemouth and Poole College will also be sponsoring a new national art prize as part of its commitment to the next generation of artists.

“A small but important part of the collection remains on public display as these have particularly close affiliations with the local area.”