Long awaited information about the future of the Isle of Sheppey Academy has finally been received.

Island MP Gordon Henderson has had a letter from Schools Minister Lord Jonathan Hill which confirms the project is on track to deliver buildings ready for use in the 2012/13 academic year.

And Mr Henderson said he has been told that it is unlikely any changes to the capital amount of £54m will be made due to the complexity of the project.

Contracts are due to be signed once all the construction details have been finalised, which is scheduled to be in March.

Mr Henderson said it was a positive response after months of uncertainty and a series of delays.

The future of the school was originally thrown into doubt after the government scrapped the £55 billion Building Schools for the Future Programme.

Education Secretary Michael Gove then announced the project was still guaranteed, but despite numerous attempts the Times Guardian was unable to get definitive answers on dates and funding.

Chairman of the Sittingbourne and Sheppey Labour group, Cllr Roger Truelove, said: “We are relieved to know that the planned capital allocation is going to be confirmed, that the two site investment is safe and that a date appears to have been set for building to begin

“We understand that some important lobbying has been conducted by trustees from Dulwich and that the Government was made to see that some expensive contractual costs might be incurred if the funding was not confirmed

“The key thing is that Sheppey desperately needs this investment. There has been too much delay for far too long.”