MORE classrooms are set to be built and facilities upgraded thanks to a �10million investment into eight primary schools.

North Somerset Council’s executive gave officers approval to begin financing a range of works at the chosen schools at a meeting on Tuesday evening.

The programme of improvements includes remodelling and expanding parts of St Andrew’s Primary School in Congresbury.

The work, which will cost �2million, will mean the school will be able to increase its pupil capacity from 280 to up to 420.

Another school to benefit was Milton Park Primary, where a 15-pupil preschool and two learning zones will be created.

The �2.25million will also include an improvement to general facilities.

At St Martin’s Junior School in Worle new learning facilities will be created, nearby Mendip Green First School will get three new classrooms and at Hillside First School minor refurbishment will be carried out – at a combined cost of �1.5million.

At Wrington Primary School dining facilities will be upgraded and at Worlebury Primary School two classrooms will be created, costing �260,000 and �225,000 respectively.

More than �1.1million will also be kept to carry out general maintenance at the district’s schools.

The council’s executive member for schools, councillor Jeremy Blatchford, said the money would benefit each school.

He said: “To be providing this level of investment at a time when local government is facing extreme spending cuts shows our commitment to future generations. We are striving to make our schools fit for the 21st century by providing comfortable and inspiring environments for learning.”

The work on all the school projects will begin in the 2011/12 financial year and will all be completed within two years.

The funding comes from a mix of sources including a Government grant, borrowing and council capital expenditure.