TWO new secondary schools will be built in Monmouthshire to open in 2016, the county council decided tonight.

The two Monmouthshire school projects will receive £71.8 million in investment - including new secondaries for Monmouth and Caldicot.

The Monmouth schools project is a £36.9 million investment for the which will see a new school built for Monmouth Comprehensive and renovation works for their eight feeder primary schools.

The secondary school which holds 1600 pupils will receive an investment of £33 million and the feeder primaries an investment of £3.9 million which includes Cross Ash Primary, Kymin View Primary, Llandogo Primary, Osbaston Primary,Overmonnow Primary, Raglan VC Primary, Usk VC Primary and Trellech Primary.

The Caldicot school project will receive £34.9 million in investment which includes £31 million for Caldicot Secondary School which currently has 1500 pupils and £3.9 million refurbishment for the eight feeder primary schools.

The eight feeder primary schools include Castle Park Primary, Dewstow Primary, Durand Primary School, Magor VA Primary School, Rogiet Primary, Undy Primary, Ysgol Y Fin and the Arch Bishop Rowan Williams Primary School.

Monmouthshire County Council approved a report by the 21st century schools programme which is a joint initiative between the Welsh Government and local authorities to improve the standards of schools in Wales.

Cllr Elizabeth Hacket-Pain said: “This is the most exciting scheme that this council has been involved with at the moment and will be for the next 12 years plus. It is not just about building first class schools but first class teaching and facilities.”

Cllr Jim Higginson said: “I am very happy. The people in Caldicot all want a new school but couldn’t see where the money was coming from. Glad we now moved on with this.”

The Welsh Government and Monmouthshire County Council will each fund 50 per cent of the costs. The seven year programme will be wheeled out in a phased approach which will involves two other secondary schools which are King Henry VIII Comprehensive School and Chepstow Comprehensive school which are set to be open in 2018.

Simon Kneafsey, programme manager of the 21centuries school project, said: “Four schools in one go would be quite impossible. It would be too risky and a put too much pressure on services to ensure the management of the process.

“The two remaining schools will probably be open two years from the opening of the first two in 2016.”

Raglan primary has already secured £4.5 million investment and the project has been given the go ahead. Monmouthshire county council are still in discussions with other local authorities for a new Welsh medium school which is part of the South East Wales solution.

The two new secondary schools in Monmouth and Caldicot are set to open in July 2016.