The lobbying campaign to bring a multi-billion pound military training facility in the Midlands is set to continue following recommendations by Whitehall officials.

Civil servants have already given their opinion and a final ruling is expected by the Government for the scheme which could generate 2,500 jobs at RAF Cosford.

About #45.4 million could be added to the regional economy annually if the site, between Telford and Wolver-hampton, is chosen to host the new Centre of Excellence for the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering and the Defence College of Communications and Information Systems.

In addition to 2,500 new jobs, the facility could secure a further 4,000 jobs already directly and indirectly employed at the base.

Experts at Wolverhampton University, which is among the backers of the bid, believe delivery of the new arrangements will come in at about #18 billion.

The Midlands is competing against a rival bid from St Athan, in South Wales.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the arguments had been assessed and civil servants had made their recommendation before a decision expected before Christmas.

One of the campaign's key backers - development agency Advantage West Midlands (AWM) - has pledged to continue lobbying all key players.

That might involve putting the case at party political conferences this autumn.

The final decision on the plan will be made by under-secretary of State for Defence Tom Watson, who is also West Bromwich East MP.

That has reportedly led some Welsh MPs to query whether it was appropriate for the ruling to be made by a Midlands MP.

However, a spokesman for the MoD said the decision would be made on the facts and based around entirely objective criteria.

Professor Caroline Gipps, vice-chancellor at Wolver-hampton University has previously told The Birmingham Post: "A successful bid would bring tremendous benefits to region. This is an enormous opportunity."

A campaign called "Let's Fly Cosford" is being led by AWM and includes members from across the local public and private sector.

It includes representatives from the aerospace, information and Communications Technologies, manufacturing and construction industries.

Backers also include West Midlands Higher Education Association and the universities of Aston, Birmingham and Warwick, among other educational bodies and organisations.

Campaigners say a winning proposal would see Cosford becoming a world-class centre of excellence for training, generating #350 million of direct investment in infrastructure and state-of-the art technology and training materials during the period 2007-2010.

Current gross domestic product (GDP) in the Cosford sub-region is #70 million and this is expected to rise to #97 million by 2012, peaking at #133 million in 2009, according to Wolverhampton University.

A winning bid is seen as key boost for employment after the region's loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs.