Inverclyde Council has said planning permission for the £5.5m refurbishment of Ardgowan Primary School in Greenock has been approved.

The project is the latest in the Council's £210m Schools' Estate Programme which aims to deliver both new and refurbished schools across the region.

This refurbishment will see a new three-storey extension constructed to accommodate a gymnasium, while new teaching facilities and an assembly hall will also be built.

The playground will include a new 120sq m multi-use games area (MUGA), a growing garden, raised social space and a performing stage.

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Education and Communities Convener, Councillor Terry Loughran, said: "This project will deliver a state of the art school for staff, pupils and parents at Ardgowan Primary and the west of Greenock so I am delighted we can now issue tenders for the work and look forward to building beginning on the site later this year. Like any project on this scale a great deal of work goes into the design, particularly with a building of this kind in a conservation area.

"The project is not a simple one given the complexities of the design process. We had to be confident the planners would be happy with the proposals and now planning permission has been granted we are able to press ahead to deliver an exciting and modern new school."

The project is due to be completed in December 2014.

(JP/CD)