The trio were selected from a shortlist of eight bidders to construct 30 primary schools over a four-year period.

The existing construction agreement ended in May and the three firms have successfully  retained their places on the important primary school upgrade programme after it was thrown open to new competition.

Councillor Eddie McAvoy, South Lanarkshire Council’s Leader said: “So far we have completed 57 new primaries but the work starts now to see this project through to completion and modernise each and every one of our primary schools.

“This Council is fully committed to delivering a first class education in first class schools and know that our construction partners will assist us in this by building the very best schools possible.”

He added: “There are robust procedures in operation to ensure that the costs, on a school-by-school basis, provide best value to the Council.

“Benchmarking is also undertaken across all constructors to maintain performance levels.

“We are happy that these procedures will continue into this next phase of the programme to ensure that we continue to get the very best schools at the very best price possible.

The work is part of  a wider £850m primary schools modernisation programme, which will ultimately see all 124 of the area’s primary schools rebuilt by 2016.