Two city schools have taken a step closer to seeing construction of new buildings start on site.

Crown Hills and City of Leicester community colleges, which are a joint PFI project, are the next two schools due to be rebuilt as part of Leicester's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

At a meeting of Leicester City Council's cabinet, approval was given for the final business case for the projects, along with that of the Soar Valley Centre integrated service centre project.

The next step is now to submit the final business case to Partnerships for Schools, which is responsible for giving the final approval for construction to start this autumn.

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With a joint cost of £47.5 million, funded through the Government's PFI scheme, both schools are being rebuilt and are scheduled for completion in 2013. Crown Hills will cost £21.7 million, with City of Leicester will cost £25.8 million.

The Soar Valley Centre is a much smaller scheme with a total value of around £270,000 and is one of eight integrated service centres around the city.

Councillor Vi Dempster, Assistant City Mayor with responsibility for children, young people and schools, said: "I am delighted that the programme is moving forward so quickly. We already have the builders on site at Rushey Mead, and now we are looking forward to seeing them at Crown Hills and City of Leicester.

"This, in addition to the first four schools that have already been rebuilt or refurbished, puts us in the enviable position of moving towards becoming one of the fastest BSF programmes in the country.

"This can only be good news, not only for the current and future students at these schools but also for the city as a whole, as the programme brings new employment opportunities across a wide range of areas."

(CD)