APPROVAL of a £1.2 million building project to improve teaching and classroom facilities for the West Somerset Community College was being celebrated yesterday (Thursday).

Construction work should start on the Minehead campus in February, with completion due by the end of the year.

The scheme will replace sub-standard temporary science laboratories condemned by a health and safety assessment two years ago.

It will also provide a new information and communications technology centre in place of a number of portable classrooms.

College principal Nick Swann said he was delighted county councillors had now given planning permission for the work.

Mr Swann said: "I am pleased the project is progressing smoothly and according to the agreed timetables.

"Our students can look forward to working in excellent science and ICT facilities.

"These improvements will undoubtedly provide an important boost at a time when we are continuing to work hard to enhance the quality of education we provide."

Mr Swann warned there were still many more improvements needed on the college site.

He said: "It is important to note the college still has 21 mobile classrooms - more than any other school in Somerset - many of which are in poor condition, together with a number of other significant accommodation problems.

"I hope through the continued support of county councillors we can work with the education authority to ensure appropriate facilities are provided in all subject areas as a matter of priority."

The £1.2 million scheme will be funded largely through a £954,000 grant awarded last Easter under the Government's New Deals for Schools initiative.

The award was more than one-third of the total £2.849 million given to Somerset schools and matched in full the bid made by the college.

The cash was unlocked with the help of West Somerset District Council, which transferred to the county council £180,000 of 'borrowing power' which it was unable to use itself.

Minehead county and district Cllr Colin Hill brokered the deal with the help of district chief executive Colin Rockall.

Cllr Hill said the funding transfer placed tremendous responsibility on the county education authority to take action after years of pleading by the college for help.

He said it helped to push the college to the top of the priority list for Government funds.

"The college then put in a superb application for the New Deals for Schools initiative and it went right through the list and into the top four," said Cllr Hill.

"I have to pay tribute to the governors and staff and particularly Nick Swann for the battle they put up alongside us.

"It was a triumph for West Somerset working together."

Cllr Hill was among county councillors who this week voted to approve the college's planning application for the necessary work.

He said: "There were some minor objections about noise and visual issues from residents of Spring Gardens, but in my view they were far outweighed by the importance of the application.

"I shall, however, be asking the school to address those objections for the good of the community."

Planning officer Karen Wray told councillors the college had been coping with rising pupil numbers by using temporary Elliott buildings.

Mrs Wray said the college presently had nine science laboratories when it actually needed 12, while other specialist facilities were also not being met.

The application proposed a remodelling and extension of an existing science block to create 12 laboratories and improved preparation facilities with a corridor link.

An 18-feet high single-storey extension would accommodate three laboratories to the rear on a playground about 65 feet from the nearest homes in Spring Gardens.

The playground would be relocated 200 feet to the north of the school boundary.

A single-storey ICT building would also be constructed in the centre of the campus to replace classrooms lost by remodelling the science block.

It would incorporate three classrooms, a technicians and staff room, and store.

Environmentally sustainable heating and insulation methods and materials would be used in its construction.

An Elliott classroom had already been resited to make room and two older temporary classrooms previously used for science lesson had been demolished.

Mrs Wray said, although people living nearby had concerns about noise and overlooking, it was not sufficient to refuse the planning application.

She said the characteristics of playground noise would already be familiar to residents and it was something which had to be expected when living close to a large school site.