SEVEN multi-million pound school building and upgrade projects that could have faced the axe have been spared, the Government announced last night.

Dozens of schools across the region had been told their schemes were not going ahead or were being put on hold after the Government ripped up the £55bn Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

But last night the Department for Education (DfE) said that while the majority of decisions would stand, several school and academy projects that had been under discussion would receive the capital funding they had wanted.

However, only three will receive funding immediately, while the remainder will only learn of their funding allocation after the Government spending review in the autumn.

The announcement also failed to appease some critics who called for the entire BSF programme to be reinstated.

In County Durham, £25m academies had been proposed for Durham City, Consett and Stanley.

The Durham City scheme was axed last month.

Yesterday’s announcement included immediate funding for the Stanley Academy, which will see Greencroft School and Stanley School of Technology replaced with a building on the King’s Head playing fields by 2013.

An academy for Consett was also approved, but funding details will have to wait until after the review.

The school, which will replace Moorside Community Technology College and Consett Community Sports College, is earmarked for a site at Belle Vue, although opponents are campaigning against the choice of location.

Councillor Claire Vasey, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “This is great news for everyone involved with the proposed academy in Stanley.

“Working with our partners, we can now get on with our plans to deliver first-class modern education facilities for this community.”

Pat Glass, Labour MP for North-West Durham, said: “I am pleased that Consett academy has been approved. It is what the people of Consett deserve.

But I am disappointed that the full amount has not been approved.”

In Hartlepool, the £15m Sports and Technology College was given an immediate funding go-ahead, as was a redevelopment of St Hild’s School.

Hartlepool MP Iain Wright said: “It is welcome news for Dyke House, but it does not help the other five schools in my constituency that had projects cancelled.

“The whole cancellation of the BSF project has been absolutely, completely and utterly shambolic. As a minister previously in the Department for Education, I know that the money was there [for BSF].

“With the amount of work that has gone into these projects across Hartlepool and the North-East, we should have full restoration of the BSF money which, at a time of economic difficulty, would really help the construction industry.

Cath Hill, Hartlepool Borough Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “This is wonderful news for Dyke House School. There has been a real team effort in recent weeks to convince the Government that funding should be released for the refurbishment.

“The project will totally transform the education and learning for students with state-of-the-art facilities.”

In its announcement, the Government also said the NHS-sponsored North Shore Health Academy, in Stockton, and the Thornaby Academy would receive their capital funding allocations, although the exact amount will not be determined until after the spending review.

The same situation applies to Freebrough Academy, in east Cleveland.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said: “I know how hard councils and schools have worked on these projects and I have been anxious to ensure we can do everything we can, in difficult economic times, to support the crucial work of raising educational standards.”