Finishing touches are being put to the building

More than �22m has been spent on merging three schools in the county into two.

Rhosnesni High School, formerly St David's opened last year and Ysgol Clywedog will open on Tuesday.

The project has been dogged by controversy including a �10m rise in the cost of the scheme.

Under the long-running 'super school' plans, pupils from three schools - Bryn Offa, St David's and the Groves - have merged into two new ones, Ysgol Clywedog and Rhosnesni High.

The millions of pounds invested so far are testament to our commitment to this Merfyn Lloyd Jones, Wrexham Council

The cost of the project was originally put at �12m but then almost doubled to �22.5m.

The original amount of money set aside for the project was found to be too small and it was revealed that the cost of inflation had not been built into calculations.

An independent investigation into the schools' spiralling costs was ordered in February 2004.

It concluded that the culture at Wrexham Council between 1996 and 2002 had played a significant part in allowing the overspend to happen.

St Joseph's High School could also be redeveloped

Contractors are currently on site at Ysgol Clywedog putting the finishing touches to the building.

"It is important that investment in educational provision within the county borough continues, to ensure that our school children are given the best chance to achieve their full potential and are well-equipped to become the workforce of the future," said the council's chief education officer, Merfyn Lloyd Jones.

"The millions of pounds invested so far are testament to our commitment to this.".

In addition to the schools re-organisation a further �9m is earmarked for primary schools in Rhos, Ponciau and Coedpoeth on the outskirts of Wrexham.

A further �8m is earmarked for the refurbishment of St Joseph's secondary school to create a new dual faith school.

Both of the funding packages have already been approved in principle by the Welsh Assembly.