WORK on a major new school in Basingstoke is on course - but an additional sum of nearly £1million has had to be ploughed into the project.

The additional funding has been set aside for the new John Hunt of Everest Community School in Basingstoke after excavation works proved to be tougher than expected.

The cost of the project has gone up from £25.6m to £26.8m as a result of extra groundwork that was needed to prepare the site for construction.

Tonnes of chalk have had to be excavated from the site north of Popley, and this has pushed up the cost of the development.

Hampshire County Council's Cabinet approved the extra funding at a recent meeting.

Alison Taylor, a spokeswoman for the county council, said: "The increase in cost is associated with undertaking the infrastructure contract for groundwork and the bulk excavation of chalk. It is also due to tender price inflation.

"Before the main contract to build the school starts, there is an infrastructure contract to do groundwork in preparation for the main building.

"Progress is good. The groundwork is nearly complete and the next stage of the project will start in a few weeks, when major construction work for the school will begin."

The current school, in Popley Way, Popley, Basingstoke, will be demolished when the new building is complete.

The new school, which is due to open in early 2007, is part of the North Popley development.

The cost of the school is being met by the sale of the existing school site, developers' contributions and funding from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

First published: Thursday, November 17, 2005