THE troubled project to build a multi-million pound extension at Tavistock College will now begin on April 5 ? more than a year after the scheme originally got the go-ahead.

Costs for the £2.5-million international centre project have shot over budget by around £200,000. Now, following a top-level meeting to bring the scheme back on track last week, agreement has finally been reached between the school, contractors and the county council.

John Simes, Tavistock College principal, said: ?Essentially we have got pretty well everything we wanted.

?They have reduced the footprint of the building and the size of the classrooms from 57 sq metres to 54, which is the DFES minimum. The staff professional centre and the sixth form study centre will still happen, externally it will still look good although various features, like the balcony around the sixth form centre, had to go to cut back on costs.?

Mr Simes said that despite paring down the project to try to reduce expense, the education authority is still having to find an extra £200,000 to complete the work.

Mr Simes said the meeting was ?very successful? and he was pleased to have had the support and backing of governors and Tavistock?s county councillor, Roy Connelly.

?As far as I can see, there are now no obstructions to the job being done ? we are delighted and relieved,? said Mr Simes.

The project is likely to take 40 weeks to complete, meaning it will not be finished until February next year.

Mr Simes said the building work was going to be a big challenge as far as the organisation of the school was concerned and the issues would be examined ?very carefully? to make sure construction impacted as little as possible on school life.

Cllr Roy Connelly, Tavistock?s county member, said: ?I?m very pleased to see a solution has now been found and delighted the work now looks set to commence in early April.

?The plans do look really exciting and the benefits to the students will be tremendous ? we just want to see it up and running.?

A spokesman for Devon County Council confirmed the April start date for the project ? and the estimated funding shortfall.

?We are looking to finance that from the new year?s capital programme,? he said.

The new building at Tavistock College will provide 16 desperately needed new classrooms plus accommodation for staff. Work was originally due to have started last July but the project has been beset by repeated delays, which have had knock-on effects on design and cost.