Newtown special school plan to replace 'terrible' buildings approved by councillors

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s planning committee today, councillors discussed an application to build a replacement school for Ysgol Cedwain in Newtown.

The school provides education for pupils from two to 19-years-old, with a wide range of complex educational, sensory, and physical needs. Most pupils have a statement of special educational needs (SEN).

The current building is described by the council as being in “very poor condition”, one of the major reasons behind the need for a new school.

The new school will have purpose-built and state-of-the-art facilities including a hydrotherapy pool, sensory and physiotherapy rooms, and garden as well as a community café. It is to be constructed on the playing fields to the west of the existing school as part of the initial phase of works, with demolition of the existing school buildings undertaken upon completion.

Councillor Elwyn Vaughan said: “This is positive and long-anticipated development on this site, and there’s been a long campaign for it.

“There are issues with the site as things stand such as the contaminated land issues.

“However the approach suggested here in terms of the conditions contained in the approval seem to make sense to me.”

Councillor David Selby who represents the Newtown central ward, said: “The staff are wonderful, but the buildings are terrible, it’s long overdue.

“My concern is about the open space which has been used by the community for a long time and is lost as a result of the development, there’s no way of avoiding that.

“What the community has suffered over the last few years, is that it’s pub has gone, the community centre and now part of its open space, it’s to be regretted in a densely populated area.

“I’m asking whether this committee could add a commentary, to recommend that the education (service) work with the community to make use of the facilities the school offers.”

“It ought to be possible to formalise the use of the facilities as part of the approval.”

Planning committee solicitor Colin Edwards told the committee there should be no is problem with adding “a strong representation from the committee” to the approval.

Councillor Les George said he would second the proposal and it was approved by with 18 votes for, one vote against and one abstention.

Following the vote Councillor Phil Pritchard said he would ask the Welsh Government to “call in the decision” as he believed that access to the site is dangerous.

With an internal floor area of 5146 square metres, the new school will be more than double the size of the current one.

A Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), yard and sports pitch is part of the proposal and provision will be made for 45 parking spaces including four electric charging bays

The building is set to be funded the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools Programme, who will fund 75 per cent of the project.

The remaining 25 per cent would come from Powys.