The spending of an additional £12.5 million to build a new secondary school for Worcester has been agreed by county councillors.

A report agreed by cabinet last month revealed the school, which will be built in fields off Newtown Road, would cost millions more than first thought and won’t open for another four years.

Up until last year, Worcestershire County Council said the 600-place school was on track to open in 2026 and reach full capacity by 2030.

But the plan is now for the school to open in September 2028, with existing city schools expected to pick up the slack by providing additional Year 7 places until then.

At today’s full county council meeting, members approved the spending of further £12.5m.

The capital budget for the new school has increased from £50 million to £59.9m, plus an extra £2.6m to help accommodate additional pupils at existing Worcester secondary schools.

Cllr Mel Allcott raised concerns that the item warranted just a few paragraphs on the agenda and was going to cost taxpayers “twelve-and-a-half million, or more”.

Cllr Richard Udall said: “I wonder if the cabinet and the leader have given thought to an alternative site in Worcester could be cheaper than the chosen site.”

Council leader Simon Geraghty admitted the project was “taking longer than expected”.

“Obviously it’s important that we deliver value for money. We absolutely require a new secondary school for Worcester so where is the growth and development in Worcester?

“It is in that region close to Warndon villages and eventually the plans for the Parkway development, which in time might need its own secondary school but would be within the catchment of this school.

“We’ve already expended £4m to get to this point and I believe it’s in the interest of existing and future pupils that we continue to fund this.”