Building work at three special schools in west Hertfordshire is to go-ahead – after councillors approved £1.5 million investment.

Breakspeare Community Special School, in Abbot’s Langley, is to receive £740,000 to replace a ‘temporary’ mobile building.

Falconer Community School, in Bushey, will receive £250,000 for improved dining facilities and additional teaching spaces.

And The Collett Foundation Special School, in Hemel Hempstead, will receive £520,000 for plans to replace two temporary classrooms, which are said to be in poor condition and to lack adequate changing and hygiene facilities.

The funding was approved by a meeting of Hertfordshire County Council’s cabinet on Monday (December 13).

At the meeting executive member for education, libraries and localism Cllr Terry Douris said there was a ‘very clear’ rising demand for places in special schools.

And he said a number of special schools in the county were operating at capacity.

The investment, he said would increase the number of places – and ensure existing places remained available.

He said that as a result of the works Breakspeare Community School would be able to offer eight additional places – whereas without the work it would have to reduce its numbers.

Falconer Community Special School, he said, would  be able to offer an additional seven places.

Meanwhile without the work at The Collett Foundation Special School pupils would no linger have been able to use the temporary classrooms – and the number of places would have to be reduced.

Cllr Douris said this was ‘important' work that the council needed to do – at a “relatively modest” cost of £1.51 million.

“As a result there will be an additional 15 places, ” said Cllr Douris.

“It will allow those children to be educated in Hertfordshire, rather than possibly having to go out of county.

“Of course that will have a small revenue saving, but the important thing is to do the right thing for the young people of our county.”

The plans were previously considered and unanimously backed by a meeting of the county council’s education, libraries and localism cabinet panel on Wednesday (December 11).