Newtown's £8.1m Welsh-medium school to open in 2016
Plans to start work on a new £8.1m Welsh-medium school in Newtown this summer has been backed by Powys council's cabinet.
It means Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd should be open in 2016.
The 300-pupil school will also have facilities for children with learning needs and community learning for adults.
But the council is still waiting final confirmation on funding from the Welsh government.
The local authority decided to build a new school in Newtown because the existing Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd was "full" and had "building deficiencies".
The school will be built next to Newtown High School.
Powys cabinet member for education, Myfanwy Alexander, said the local authority expected the Welsh government to stump up more than half the cost of the project.
She added: "Although the council has not received full confirmation from the Welsh government over the level of funding for the project we have received notice that our strategic outline case for school has been accepted.
"The news means we can start enabling works during July and August when the secondary school is closed minimising disruption to the school and local residents.
"The early start also means we can keep the scheme on target to meet an opening date of January 2016."