PLANNING permission for a new £31 million state-of-the-art building for Caldicot School has been approved.

The school will undergo a full re-development as part of the 21st century school programme, jointly funded by the Welsh Government and Monmouthshire County Council (MCC).

The new three storey building will be designed to accommodate up to 1,500 students and will provide a mixture of social and informal, recreational and sport facilities together with indoor dining facilities and outdoor classrooms.

Caldicot School's current building will be demolished.

Author of the report, David Wong, said: "The existing school is no longer suitable for delivering the current and future curriculum and the new school will provide a variety of teaching and learning spaces which can accommodate a full range of learning styles, as well as to integrate the school and its landscape with the town."

Caldicot School will be designed for extended use by the public outside school hours.

Speaking earlier this year, Councillor Liz Hacket Pain said: "This project is not just about the building, it's first and foremost about excellent teaching. This is probably the most exciting thing that will ever happen in the council."

MCC's planning committee met yesterday (7th October) to approve the plans.