Work has started on a £6.6 million primary school for Bilston in Midlothian.

The building is currently under construction in the local park and will include nursery and primary facilities.

Speaking at a special sod-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Councillor Bob Constable, the cabinet member for education, said: “The new school will provide a first-class learning environment for our children. We look forward to welcoming the first pupils, around autumn 2016.”

Planning consent was granted in 2014. The school has been designed by AHR Architects and McLaughlin & Harvey Construction Ltd is building the facility.

Paul Griffen, construction director at McLaughlin & Harvey, said: “As a result of the continued investment from the council in education facilities, we are enormously proud to be playing a key role in delivering the first all-primary-ages teaching and learning space for the Bilston community.

“We have a solid track record of delivering education facilities across the UK and are currently on-site delivering the Easter Bush Innovation Centre for the University of Edinburgh just outside the village.

“We are proud that local people benefit from the projects we are involved in and we look forward to working with contractors from the area to deliver this excellent educational facility.”

The new school will be able to accommodate in excess of 200 pupils initially in eight classrooms. There is also room to expand.