£51m of funding will go towards supporting the growth of Welsh medium education.

£46m has been allocated from the Welsh Medium Capital Grant and Childcare Offer Capital Grant, in addition to the £5m for the Pantycelyn development announced earlier this year.

It will support around 41 projects across 16 local authorities, and create an additional 2818 school and childcare places for Welsh medium learners.

Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning, Eluned Morgan, announced the funding. She said it will make a 'significant contribution':

These projects will make a significant contribution to the provision of Welsh medium education. Having a comfortable, modern, fit-for-purpose environment in which to learn is vital to ensuring young people have the best possible education. This extra funding will mean that even more of our students will be able to benefit from excellent facilities to learn through the medium of Welsh. In addition to creating new schools and expanding current sites, this extra funding will give the green light to Welsh language centres across Wales. Eluned Morgan, Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning

New Welsh medium primaries in Merthyr Tydfil and Torfaen, the first ever Welsh medium school in Monmouth town, and an innovative Welsh language centre in Denbighshire are among the 41 projects that will now be funded through the grant.

The Minister for Children, Huw Irranca-Davies welcomed the announcement. He said it would provide 'early learning opportunities' for Welsh learning.