Empty village primary school to be sold off
A village school which has stood empty since it closed four years ago will be sold off – minus a heating system which warms more than 20 homes.
Ysgol Efyrnwy Primary School in Llanwddyn, near Llanfyllin, closed in 2009 and will be put up for sale by Powys County Council in the coming months.
The school houses a wood-fuelled district heating system which warms 23 homes, the school and nearby community centre.
Powys County Council wants to scrap the heating system, giving the 11 homeowners £500 compensation and an interest-free loan of £5,000 to put in central heating of their own.
The council's cabinet will meet next week to discuss the plans after conceding the system, which was only put in in 2005 has not proven to be as 'reliable as expected'.
Councillor David Jones, the council's leader, has written a report on the sell-off, saying he wants to begin public consultation as soon as possible so progress can be made by October.
He said: "The former Ysgol Efyrnwy Primary School in Llanwddyn closed in 2009 and, apart from some occasional use by the local community, has remained out of use.
"It was declared surplus in 2011 and offered for sale along with the associated district heating system. No offers were received and we are about to invite offers for the former school without the heating system.
"On the assumption that a purchaser for the school comes forward we now need to decide on the future for the heating system."
Of the 23 properties connected to the system, 11 are privately owned, 12 are owned and let by Severn Trent Water and one is owned by the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel for staff accommodation.
Councillor Jones added: "It is proposed that the compensatory payment of £500 is payable only to the 11 owner occupiers. The cost to the council would be £5,500 which could be funded from corporate reserves.
"The interest-free loan scheme can only apply to owner-occupiers. However, the council does have a scheme whereby landlords can apply for interest-free loans to improve domestic heating but this does not apply to their tenants."
The council's cabinet will meet at 2pm on Tuesday at County Hall, Llandrindod Wells, to discuss putting the plan out to consultation.
