New school set to take the place of two others

Anthony Lewis Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for a new English medium school with a Welsh medium childcare facility to replace two existing schools in a south Wales village have been revealed.

An application for the demolition of the existing building at Craig yr Hesg Primary School in Glyncoch and the construction of a two-storey replacement primary school building is going before Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council’s planning committee on Thursday, January 30.

The application, which also includes the site of the former Ty Gwyn Education Centre in Cefn Lane, would also include community facilities, car parking, MUGAs (multi use games areas) and playgrounds.

It would be a “net zero” school and would replace the existing primary school on the site, Craig yr Hesg Primary, and also Cefn Primary School.

The planning report said that it would provide modern teaching facilities and two learning support classrooms for up to 300 pupils, a 45 place nursery and a 30 place Welsh medium childcare facility.

A total of 52 members of staff would be employed at the site.

One school

Currently the two schools, which are operated under one senior leader team and as one school, despite being known locally by two different names, have a total number of 313 pupils (178 at Cefn Primary School and 135 at Craig yr Hesg) and 30 members of staff.

Two Multi-use Games Areas (MUGA) and grass pitch play areas would be provided to the south-east of the proposed new building, in place of the current school building and parking areas with further play areas and outdoor teaching spaces, including community growing gardens, to the north and south.

Vehicle access to the site would be off an existing entrance point off Cefn Lane and pedestrian accesses would also be provided off Cefn Lane and off an existing footpath to the west of the site.

The car parking area for staff and visitors would have 43 parking spaces including five accessible electric vehicle charging bays, plus a commercial vehicle space for servicing.

Four drop off bays would also be included within the car park for the learning support classes only.

Drop-off and pick-up for the main body of the school would not be permitted inside the school boundary with drop off and pick up for pupils arriving or departing from the site by car being from Cefn Lane, as per the current arrangement.

Community use of the facilities is currently proposed until 6.30pm from Monday to Friday, although the report said it was suggested that this was likely to evolve as the school was built and the demand for the use of the facilities became clearer.

Concerns

There was one letter of objection which raised concern that the proposed entrance was dangerous to pupils with parents delivering and collecting their children and about traffic flow on this section of Cefn Lane, which is a main route for buses and residents.

Concern was also raised that the highway was narrowed by residents parking on Cefn Lane and that there would be an increase in the number of vehicles due to an increase in pupil numbers.

The objector also raised concern that the proposal provided insufficient parking facilities and suggested that the waste ground bordering Craig yr Hesg Primary School and the B4723 be used as a drop-off and collection point for  parents/pupils and extra parking for staff and visitors.

The objector said the auction rooms on Cefn Lane attracted many patrons with vehicles seeking parking close to the new entrance and existing housing and they said that surface water would run off into the new school premises as the present kerb line would be reduced in height.

Concern was also raised that the community amenities would offer longer hours after school times which would impact on neighbours’ wellbeing if the constant flow of people/vehicles to and from the school continued into the evening.

The objector said residents adjacent to the school already experienced nuisance disruption and littering problems.

But in recommending approval, planning officers said: “The application proposes a replacement school at a long-established primary school site within the settlement boundary for Glyncoch. The principle of development is therefore considered acceptable.

“The new building and its associated development will bring a state-of-the-art facility to Glyncoch which will be of significant benefit to the pupils of the catchment area and also, due to the proposed community use of the facility, to local residents in the area.

“The proposed works would result a significant alteration to the current layout and appearance of the site; however, it is considered that the new building will form a marked improvement to the existing visual amenity of the site.

“Further, it is not considered the new building, or the wider development proposed, would result in a significant increase to impacts already experienced by neighbouring residents or to highway safety in the locality.”

The plans also include an improved access, landscaping, drainage works, sprinkler tank, plant and associated engineering works.