School promised as part of 705-home estate may not open until 2032

Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter

A new school planned as part of a large housing estate years ago might not be completed until 2032, councillors have been informed.

There was also a suggestion in the Swansea council planning committee meeting that it could possibly result in the closure of a nearby primary school when built.

Persimmon Homes is working on a major development of 705 homes in Garden Village, near Gorseinon, and as part of its original planning consent in 2019 must hand over £5.2 million prior to the 201st property being occupied so that the council can set about building a new 2.5-form primary school.

Another requirement of the consent was that the council’s education department had to submit a detailed planning application for the school by December 12 this year.

The meeting this week heard that wasn’t possible due to delays with the housing project partly outside Persimmon Homes’ control. The council’s education department therefore applied to extend the December deadline by six years.

A committee report said around 65 homes were occupied to date and that the 201st wouldn’t be finished until approximately summer 2030 based on current rates.

Cllr Peter May said this meant by his calculation the school wouldn’t be open until 2032, to which a council planning officer replied: “As things stand yes, that could obviously change.”

The officer said nearby schools had enough capacity to absorb children moving into the new estate up to around the point the 201st home was occupied.

He added that the housing development when completed was only expected to generate enough pupils for a 1.5-form school but that education colleagues had wanted a larger 2.5-form one “so that one of the local schools could possibly be closed down and the children all moved to the one larger site”.

The report said Persimmon Homes had already contributed a payment of just over £266,000 to the education department to enable it to start designing the new school.

The planning officer said, when asked by Cllr Mike White, that the £5.2 million school contribution agreed in 2019 wasn’t linked to inflation.

Powers

Cllr Adam Davis asked if the council had any powers to compel Persimmon Homes to keep building and meet the key 201st home trigger point. The planning officer said the council didn’t.

The meeting also heard that motorists wouldn’t be able to use the new estate as a “rat run” between the A484 to the south and Hospital Road to the north as a “bus gate” would prevent it. Councillors went on to approve the time extension application.

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