A GOVERNMENT review may have added more than £155,000 in building costs to the multi-million pound revamp of Worcester’s flagship academy school.

We previously reported in your Worcester News how the schedule to spruce up Tudor Grange Academy had been knocked off course following the Government’s five-week review of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme earlier in the summer.

Tudor Grange’s £15.4 million project survived the cull but work is not due to be finished until March 2013, although children and teachers will be able to use the new buildings from the autumn half-term of that academic year.

Contractors Kier, education authority Worcestershire County Council and the school are now working together to bring the potential £155,093 additional cost figure down but reductions will still have to be made within the project.

At the county council’s cabinet meeting, Councillor Liz Eyre, cabinet member for children and young people (12-19 years), said: “This identifies the worst case scenario financially and I understand a lot of work is going on to reduce the potential £155,000 impact.

“Kier have already submitted the planning application. The timeline is very critical and there would be implications if there was slippage but Kier have actually submitted it so that is good news.”

Gail Quinton, director of children’s services, said: “There is a lot of mitigation work going on and we are hoping we will move to a ‘maybe there will be an impact’ rather than ‘there will be an impact’ on finances because of the delay.”

We previously reported in your Worcester News how Tudor Grange’s plans include transforming the existing buildings on the Bilford Road site into a more modern design. The sports field is due a revamp with a new football pitch, tennis/basketball courts, athletics track and exercise stations.

The designs also include science gardens, a tree nursery and a new entrance “plaza”.

The £15,458,137 funding for the project was secured via a Partnerships for Schools grant.

The funding includes £1,595,000 for ICT facilities and £300,000 towards the county council’s costs in delivering the project.

Kier has set itself Monday, March 28, as its start date – nearly three months later than originally planned.

l Your Worcester News was the only member the media to attend this meeting.