TURRO High School For Girls is to embark on another major development project, with the Governors having given the green light for a new sports hall expected to cost in the region of £1.5 million.

It is hoped to submit a planning application to Carrick district council by the end of the year, with construction starting next summer for the new facility to be ready for use by the spring of 2006.

The school's first dedicated sports hall will accommodate games including tennis, basketball, netball and badminton. As with the school's swimming pool, it is anticipated that the new facility will be available for community use during school holidays.

Indoor sports are currently held in the main school hall, which in turn will now be able to be transformed into a theatre and lecture theatre, with raked seating on wheels to allow the large floor area to be used for examination periods when necessary.

The new sports hall, expected to cover 900 square metres, will also mean enhanced activity opportunities for the school's boarders in the evenings and at weekends.

The decision to proceed with the project comes at a time when the Truro High School hockey and netball teams are enjoying great success.