FOUR new primary schools are to be built in North Yorkshire following a successful four-year project by county council officers.

Officers from education, financial services, legal services and building design and management have worked together since 1997 on the project, under the Government's private finance initiative programme.

Replacement schools will be provided for Kirby Hill CE school, near Boroughbridge, for 120 pupils, and Ripon Cathedral CE school, for 240 children.

Also to be replaced are Barlby Primary School, for 300 pupils, and Brotherton primary for 210 children, both near Selby.

Building work will begin immediately at Barlby, followed by Ripon and Brotherton later this month, and Kirby Hill in July.

The schools will open at the start of the summer term, 2002.

This is the first private finance initiative scheme undertaken by the county council, and is thought to be the first of its kind in the country that provides a group of new primary schools.

The county's director of education, Cynthia Welbourn, said: "This has been a great team effort from all the officers involved."