The fate of 117 academies put under review by the government will be clear within days.

As Building went to press, it was understood that officials in the Department for Education were finalising decisions on which projects will go ahead.

Local authorities and contractors with academies on hold said that they were expecting to be told as soon as today which would go forward, having originally expected a decision last week.

Officials close to the programme said that an announcement on sample schools within 14 schemes that had reached close of dialogue stage would be made at around the same time.

Construction firms and their clients are anxious to learn the fate of the schemes following weeks of confusion over which projects will go ahead after the government called a halt to the £55bn Building Schools for the Future programme in July.

Meanwhile, it is understood the UK Contractors Group is drafting a statement designed to put pressure on a government review panel, which is considering how schools projects should be procured and prioritised in future. The statement is due out within weeks.

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