A BIDDER has been chosen to deliver the �80million rebuilding and remodelling of three schools in Stevenage, with work expected to start in February next year.

Herts County Council has appointed Balfour Beatty Education for the redevelopment of secondary schools Marriotts and Nobel and special needs school Lonsdale.

The Government has axed the Building Schools for the Future programme - which aimed to rebuild, remodel or refurbish every secondary school in the country - but has given the green light for these three projects to still go ahead.

Planned projects at Stevenage schools Thomas Alleyne, John Henry Newman, Barnwell, Barclay and Greenside have all been cancelled.

Marriotts will be rebuilt, expanding from six to eight forms of entry on its existing site.

Lonsdale will relocate to the Marriotts site, and the two schools will share state-of-the art facilities and resources.

The Stevenage community will also be able to enjoy an extensive sports facility, which is part of the building project.

The Nobel scheme involves the partial remodelling of existing buildings, and substantial new building work to provide an expanded eight forms of entry school on the existing site. This is an increase of 30 pupils per year group.

The Stevenage Music and Arts Centre will be situated on the same site.

Richard Thake, Herts County Council’s executive member for education, said: “Now we have chosen the company we wish to take forward these projects, work can progress on drawing up the necessary contracts with a view to building work starting at the Marriotts site in February 2011.

“This is an important development which will lead to real improvements for pupils at the three schools and the wider Stevenage community.”