RCT Council’s Planning and Development Committee has granted planning permission for the construction of a brand new £10.4m primary school for Hirwaun, which will be delivered by 2022.
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On Thursday, August 15, Committee Members granted full permission for the development at Glanant Street, which is part of a wider £23.9m investment in 21st Century Schools facilities for the Upper Cynon Valley. The new school will replace the current buildings at Hirwaun Primary School.
The application was recommended for approval in an Officer report to the Committee. The report noted that the state-of-the-art school will significantly benefit pupils and its modern design will visually improve the area – while its community facilities have the potential to be a real asset to the village.
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The development will include an age 3-11 school facility, two Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs), an early years Flying Start facility, car parking, an ecological habitat area, a grass sports pitch and external pupil spaces. The school’s existing teaching blocks will be demolished in phases, with temporary classrooms accommodating pupils in the short-term.
The development will upgrade the capacity of Hirwaun Primary School from 265 pupils currently, to 450 (60 pre-school pupils and 390 primary pupils).
The school’s design will be a sustainable low carbon building which achieves an overall ‘excellent’ rating under the BREEAM assessment.
Councillor Joy Rosser, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Inclusion Services, said:
“The Council has now secured planning permission for a new £10.4m primary school for Hirwaun – which is a major landmark in delivering this investment. It follows recent confirmation that the Council has secured a 65% Welsh Government contribution towards the development, following our submission of a successful business case.
“The Council’s previous wave of 21st Century Schools investment was delivered for the 2018/19 academic year, with brand new school facilities built in Tonyrefail, Porth, Tonypandy and Cwmaman – which have provided pupils with stimulating work environments with the very latest education facilities.
“Our young people deserve the very best opportunities in their education, and the plans for Hirwaun form part of a new £23.9m investment in the Upper Cynon Valley by 2022 – which includes significant funding for Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdâr in Cwmdare, and Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun in Penywaun.
“With planning permission now granted, I’m looking forward to seeing the next stages of this very exciting project progress over the coming months.”
