YORKON has been chosen to construct the UK's first complete school to be built off-site.

The York modular building specialist will design and build the Our Lady of Lourdes School, in East Kilbride, Scotland.

The 500-pupil school and nursery, scheduled for completion by the end of this year, was commissioned by South Lanarkshire Council.

The £5m project includes the construction of a 16-classroom building alongside the school, which will then be demolished and replaced with landscaping and an all-weather floodlit sports pitch.

Donald Thomas, head of finance for education resources at South Lanarkshire Council, said: "It was important to replace the existing 1960s storm-damaged school, and we are now set to have a state-of-the-art facility in half the time of traditional site-based construction."

David Jupp, Yorkon's operations manager, said: "The project has been designed to meet the needs of teaching staff and pupils, creating a stimulating and attractive educational environment.

"It will also become a valuable community facility for use during evenings and weekends. The phased development will significantly reduce disruption to the running of the school, which will remain fully operational throughout construction of the new building."

Features of the school will include a glazed entrance, a pre-school nursery, main hall and dining room, extensive landscaping and soft play areas.

The school will be built from 84 steel-framed modules, up to 14 metres long and weighing up to 8.5 tonnes. These are manufactured off-site at Yorkon's production centre in York, while the foundations are completed on site.