AN overhaul of a Tees Valley school will go ahead after a North-East law firm played an integral role in making a compelling case to the Government.

The £12.4m remodel of Dyke House Sports and Technology College in Hartlepool came under threat when the Government scrapped the Building Schools for the Future project in July.

Because of the significant planning that had already gone into the Dyke House scheme, Hartlepool Borough Council was asked by the Government to provide evidence of why it should go ahead.

Newcastle-based Ward Hadaway, which provided legal advice to the council throughout the BSF programme, advised the council on potential procurement issues arising as a result of the withdrawal of the funding for the project and on the status of a contract with an ICT provider that the authority had already agreed for its entire BSF scheme.

The scheme has now been given the go-ahead and building work has started at the site on Mapleton Road by construction company Balfour Beatty.

Melanie Pears, partner and head of public sector at Ward Hadaway, said: “It is a great relief to hear that the Dyke House scheme has got final approval to go ahead since everyone involved in the scheme has worked so hard to make it a reality.

“Securing this final approval was very much a team effort from all the parties involved who were all totally committed to making the project work and to the improvements in educational outcomes which are now likely to be achieved at the school.

“It is excellent news that this scheme is going ahead, although it is disappointing that improvement plans for other schools in the Hartlepool area have not gone ahead.”

Councillor Cath Hill, Hartlepool Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Everyone involved worked extremely hard to convince the Government that the funding should be made available for this project and it is wonderful news that it has been allowed to continue.”

Dyke House was one of only 11 BSF projects that significant planning had been carried out on, but work had not yet started, to be put under review rather than scrapped by the Government.

The work is expected to be completed in January 2012.

Ward Hadaway has worked on almost £700m worth of BSF projects across the country.

The BSF programme, aimed to refurbish or renew all secondary school buildings across England and Wales.