The new Montgomerie Park primary school will be built two years earlier than planned, council chiefs have revealed.

Original proposals for the £14.3million-pound facility had been earmarked to get underway around 2022-23.

However at last week’s North Ayrshire Council budget meeting it was agreed the potential start date for construction would be brought forward to 2020-21.

When the Times revealed the plans to build the new school last year, the original cost was £8.4million, however at last week’s meeting it was revealed that approximately £14.3m would be set aside to build the new school and the infrastructure required to support and encourage the ongoing hous ebuilding programme in the area.

Council leader Joe Cullinane said: “Education is key for us and we need to provide the kind of facilities which will give our young people the chance to reach their potential.

“The new school at Montgomerie Park will help reduce pressures on the school rolls in an area which continues to grow, while our ambitions for an innovative and groundbreaking community campus at Ardrossan can set new standards in education – by investing in our school estate, we are making an investment in the future.”

News of the Montgomerie Park school date being brought forward was quickly followed by North Ayrshire Council planners giving the green light to a new Additional Support Needs school in Stevenston which will replace the four schools in the area.

Stanecastle and Haysholm schools, both in Irvine and James Reid in Saltcoats and James McFarlane in Ardrossan will all close and the new super school will be next to Auchenharvie Academy.

The new build will incorporate residential respite accommodation and planning permission was granted on Monday afternoon.