Planning permission has been granted for the first phase of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme in Hackney.

The £167m BSF programme has been developed by Hackney Council in partnership with The Learning Trust and will see every secondary and special needs school in the borough either refurbished or rebuilt by 2015. Each school will have state-of-the-art IT equipment and a comprehensive facilities.

The first phase of the scheme will be carried out at three schools in the borough - Clapton Girls’ Technology College, Laura Place, Hackney Free and Parochial CE School on Paragon Road and Stoke Newington School for Media and Art in Clissold Road.

The scheme is being delivered by the Mouchel Parkman Babcock Education consortium. Work is due to start on these schools in the summer.

Cllr Rita Krishna, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: “I welcome the planning committee’s decision to grant approval for work at the schools involved in the first phase of the Building Schools for the Future programme in Hackney.

“The BSF programme will dramatically change the way we teach and learn in Hackney and create modern, fit-for-purpose facilities that serve the whole community.”

For more information about the Building Schools for the Future programme in Hackney, please visit: www.hackney.gov.uk/xe-bsf.htm