New Welsh-medium primary school in Tredegar gets green light

Emily Gill, local democracy reporter

Plans for a new £6.2 million Welsh-medium primary school in Tredegar have been given the go ahead by Blaenau Gwent council.

The proposal for a new 210-place school on a site at Chartist Way in the Tredegar/Sirhowy valley received one objection during the 28-day statutory notice period, but the council’s executive committee decided to press ahead with the plans.

The objector raised concerns over the impact of the view from their home, noise pollution and issues around traffic and parking.

Despite this, the objector said they were in support of Welsh-medium education.

The Welsh Government has awarded £6 million for the new school, along with a £200,000 grant.

Blaenau Gwent is currently the only authority in Wales with just one Welsh-medium primary school.

An initial consultation ran between December 17 and January 29.

Concerns were raised in the initial consultation over traffic, loss of green space and the effects on other primary schools in the area.

The new Welsh medium school will act as a ‘seedling’ school, with a childcare facility, nursery and reception years beginning in September, 2023.

Additional year groups will then be introduced each year, with the school in full operation from nursery to Year 6 by September 2029.

The school’s governance and leadership structure will be developed as an extension of Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg, in Nantyglo, with one governing body across the two schools.

The council now has seven days to issue a decision letter to key stakeholders.