WORK on the £38million project to redevelop and rebuild Hampton and Twickenham Academies is set to begin this summer.

The government funded scheme will see Hampton Academy, formally Hampton Community College, receiving £16million for the demolition and rebuild of a number of buildings and for an upgrade of facilities, such as cycle storage, car parking provision and landscaping.

Twickenham Academy, formally Whitton School, is to be completely demolished as part of its £22million redevelopment, with a new state of the art building and sports facilities being rebuilt.

Both academies are run by the Learning Skills Trust and are sponsored by Swedish company Kunskapsskolan.

CEO for the Learning Skills Trust, John Baumber, said: "We are excited to be on the way with this redevelopment to create 21st century learning environments for the two academies. Although in itself it does not improve the outcomes for young people it will make the whole process easier and give a real lift to the students and the wider community."

The work will be carried out in stages with temporary classrooms being set up for students during term time.

Completion for both academies is due to be in 2013.

The plans came before the council's planning committee on Thursday, April 28.

Cabinet member for schools, councillor Paul Hodgins, said: "I am very pleased that we can finally move forward with the plans to improve both of these Academies. The transfer to academy status marked a fundamental change in how these schools are governed. Some of the current schools buildings are old and in need of replacement and repair to ensure that they are fit for purpose.

"I am very glad that the government agreed to continue funding the development. Although the academies are not in council control, they remain firmly within our local family of schools."