Green light for new Welsh-medium school despite traffic concerns

Kieran Molloy, Local Democracy Reporter

The construction of a Welsh-medium school in south Wales has been approved by county council.

According to the development’s planning statement, the new development is a relocation of Ysgol Iolo Morganwg to land that is part of the Clare Garden Village project.

The new school building will be a linear two-storey building on land east of Dunraven Close in Cowbridge.

It is intended for 420 pupils with 48 nursery students and 15 full time equivalent teachers.

During the meeting to approve the development, Cllr Christine Cave raised concerns about the lack of drop-off parking for parents in the application.

She said: “The entrance of this school is at the start of a hill. Traffic going up and down that hill will have limited visibility for the entrance of this school and I do think there is a serious need to reconsider the issue of a parent drop-off.”

Planning officer Stephen Butler said that the active travel plan developed for the school has intended to “encourage parents to access the site in more sustainable modes”.

Although he said the council was aware of the school’s large catchment area.

Cllr Janice Charles warned of the lack of walking paths and cycling paths on the route that some children would need to walk to access the school.

She said: “I think this is extremely dangerous and I really believe this is an accident waiting to happen.”

The councillor continued that “because of the danger some pupils will encounter, that this area of the plans should be seriously looked at.”

The plans for the school also include a multi-use games area (MUGA) for the pupils.

Concerns were raised about the impact of noise from the MUGA on neighbouring properties.

The officer replied that acoustic barriers will be in place around the MUGA as well as a noise management plan.