Willmott Dixon has been selected to take on the largest ever building project commissioned by Ceredigion County Council.

The firm will create a new "super school", which will see five schools merge into one.

Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi, Aberbanc, Coedybryn, Llandysul, and Pontsian will combine to form the county’s second ‘all-through’ school.

The work will involve the construction of a new two storey 11,200m2 facility to accommodate 1,000 primary and secondary school pupils, and is estimated to be completed for the start of the academic year in 2016.

The new school, which is yet to be named, will provide facilities including a large hall, sports hall, kitchen and catering facilities and 47 classrooms including science laboratories and IT facilities.

Neal Stephens, managing director at Willmott Dixon in Wales, said: "We're proud to be playing a pivotal role in Ceredigion County Council’s largest ever construction project. Since the Welsh Government released the 21st Century Schools programme, we are seeing a radically different approach to education provision in Llandysul that is being mirrored across Wales. Schools are leaning towards a more open plan, ‘all through’ school provision for students.

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"The design of the school has incorporated many sustainable solutions. We will be installing photo voltaic panels to use the sunlight to generate heat and light to help create an energy self-sufficient school. By integrating five schools onto one site, this new educational facility will also create huge efficiencies in comparison to the current arrangement."

Councillor Ellen ap Gwynn, Leader of Ceredigion County Council, said: "This has been in the planning stages for almost a year and it’s fantastic to celebrate the first step of this journey for a new state of the art school in Llandysul. We have established a great relationship with Willmott Dixon, as we’ve worked with them in the past on the construction of the Council’s Canolfan Rheidol Offices in Aberystwyth.

"We look forward to being a part of the construction process and providing the students in Ceredigion with some of the best learning facilities in Wales."

External landscaping of the surrounding area will also create four sports pitches, a full sized 2G synthetic sports pitch and onsite parking. This project and others highlight a considerable joint capital investment by Welsh Government match funded by Ceredigion County Council.

(MH/CD)