DELIGHT has been expressed after popular plans to merge two schools to create a new £7.7 million East Hampshire special school were finally given the nod.

Hampshire County CouncilÕs school organisation committee rubber stamped the proposals last week after hearing officers put forward the case for closing both The Meadow School in Bordon and Whitedown School in Alton.

The two schools will be replaced by a new 120-pupil special school built on the site of The Meadow School which will cater for two to 19 year olds from the whole of East Hampshire.

The new, so far unnamed school will have the facilities to deal with a range of learning disabilities combining those dealt with by each school at present.

Alongside the school a new unit with 10 places for learning difficulties will be opened at Mill Chase Community School, which neighbours The Meadow School.

These places will be given to older pupils who would benefit from being taught in a mainstream school instead of a dedicated special school.

Concern had been expressed over the small number of further education places at the school, but education officers convinced the committee that they would be catered for at either the new school, main stream colleges or other special schools in the county.

Staff at Whitedown and The Meadow School have expressed their joy at the news the plans were approved.

Acting head-teacher at The Meadow School Margaret Mann said: ÒWe are absolutely delighted. It is great and we are now looking forward to the new school being built.

ÒObviously there has been some worries about how much provision there will be for 16 to 19 year olds but hopefully now we can now just look to the future.

ÒThe consultation process and keeping everyone informed was very hard work but everyone has been so supportive which is wonderful.Ó

Barbara Livings, head-teacher at Whitedown School said: ÒWe are thrilled at the good news and look forward to working with the Meadow School community as we move towards our brand new school.

ÒThe next three years are going to be exciting for all of us - pupils, parents, staff and governors - we can really begin to plan now.

ÒWe hope that Alton continues to support us through this.Ó

Mill Chase head teacher Tony Philpott also added that he was pleased that plans for the unit were approved.

A planning application will soon be submitted to agree the look of the new school which is expected to open in 2006.