(Title Image: via Google Earth)
Bridgend Council is set to make an application for Welsh Government approval to replace Mynydd Cynffig Infants and Junior schools with a single-site school (pdf).
Previous plans involved building a new school within the grounds of Cynffig Comprehensive. There were objections around both sharing a site with older children and road safety, with many people preferring that the new school should be based at the junior school site.
Following a cost increase to £10million, those plans were dropped in 2017.
Last November, Mynydd Cynffig Infants suffered what’s described as “a catastrophic failure” of the heating system which prompted the school to close for several weeks. Following this, the school was demoted to the lowest level of building condition (Category D). The infant school closed on 13th March 2020 and temporary classrooms have been provided.
As a new (2-form entry with nursery) Mynydd Cynffig school has been reprioritised by the council, plans for a new school to serve the Parc Afon Ewenni housing development at Waterton (the viability of which is being reviewed) have been pushed back.
The report goes on to say that consideration will be given to building the new school at the junior school site and issues around land ownership amongst other things “can be worked through” – though there are no guarantees.
£10.2million is available, though highways works may require even more funding.