£13 million plan for Welshpool schools to go ahead after listed building status

As part of plans to re-structure schools in Welshpool, through Welsh Government funding, Powys County Council has proposed building a Welsh medium school at the site of Ysgol Maesydre, and an English medium site near the high school.

However, the plans were thrown into serious doubt in December, when an unknown person applied to Cadw, which looks after historical buildings in Wales, to put listed building status on a building at Maesydre, which is part of the new school.

After months of deliberations and waiting, a decision has been made this week to make the building subject to listed building status.

The local authority has been working with Cadw to find a solution, and it has been agreed that revised plans will focus on building a new school building towards the back of the listed building, and then restoring the main building.

County councillor Graham Breeze was one who voiced strong objections to any status being put on the building.

Compromise

However, he has welcomed the compromise, and hopes the multi-million pound project can now move forward.

He said: "This is the best possible resolution and the compromise will be welcomed by all those interested in this project.

“Powys County Council officers have been working closely with CADW ever since the application for listing was made and we now have a very exciting design on the table which sees the listed part of the school maintained within the framework of the new school.

“This ensures that the education of our children is not affected and that the people of the Welshpool area will benefit from everything that a modern school of this type offers.

“The development of both the English and Welsh language schools can now go ahead as planned.”