Devon County Council has agreed to provide £450,000 to help complete the Holsworthy Commu­nity College extension.

The extension will provide the college with two new science labs and two new design and technology spaces.

Principal at the college, David Fitzsimmons said: "We're delighted that we've got match funding for the completion of the science and design and technology extension."

Phase one of the project, which began at Easter last year, included the foundations and installation of services. This was funded by £36,000, which had been raised locally, and £114,000 from the Department of Education.

Phase two was the completion of a watertight and weatherproof shell which was funded by the school using Devolved Formula Capital (DFC).

However, the specialist technology college was in need of funding to complete stage three — the internal refit.

Devon County Council has now agreed to provide £450,000 to help complete the project.

Mr Fitzsimmons said the college was desperate for increased space as the school was the biggest it had ever been with nearly 720 pupils. The extension will also provide the college with "21st century facilities," said Mr Fitzsimmons.

The late Cllr Des Shadrick had given the college £10,000 from the sale of Exeter Airport. Mr Fitzsimmons said the ­college would use that money to purchase a ­particular piece of ­equipment and in Cllr Shadrick's memory, the new extension will be called the 'Shadrick Building'.

The college is now hoping to raise £25,000 which will then be matched by the government as part of their specialist status. They would then have a total of £500,000 for the project.

Mr Fitzsimmons commented: "It's vital we keep pressing for the best facilities we can give our pupils."

It is hoped the project will be completed as close as possible to the beginning of the new academic year.

Torridge councillor and local prospective Parlia­men­tary candidate Adam Symons welcomed the news: "I am very pleased that Devon County Council has supported the college. I worked with the late Des Shadrick and the college's headmaster to encourage Devon County Council to provide this funding, and am so pleased that this is the case.

"When I visited the ­college last year, it was clear that it was in desperate need of new science facilities. Well done to Holsworthy Community College for all its hard work in pulling this ­together."