Cost of new La Mare up by millions

These three facilities were due to come in at a combined £1.8m. under the 2014 proposal for a 600-pupil school that was subsequently put on hold because of value for money and timing concerns.

Policy & Resources has yet to discuss the latest proposals from Education, Sport & Culture, but said yesterday it needed time to scrutinise the underlying financial detail and assumptions.

ESC now wants to build a 960-capacity high school at the site, while converting the Grammar into a sixth form college and Les Ozouets into a training college in the wake of the decision to end selection.

In total these plans, which also include a new primary school at La Mare, are estimated to cost £108m.

The 2014 La Mare High scheme was costed at £59.4m.

'This was for a 600-pupil secondary school and the project was not fully designed at this stage and so was costed on a rate/sq. m at 2014 prices,' an ESC spokesman said.

'In 2016 this had risen to £64.2m. largely because of building cost inflation over the previous two years and the further refinement and construction detail of the plans.

'Again this was for a 600-pupil secondary school based on the 2014 design.

'Following a number of independent reviews, the former Education Department was instructed to look at increasing the size of the secondary school to cater for up to 960 pupils. The current cost of £64.6m. is for the bigger secondary school building – facilities for an additional 360 pupils and so a significant increase in area – compared to the 2014 design.'