The £60million relocation of Heronsbridge Special School to Island Farm is set to take a major step forward with week, subject to Bridgend Council Cabinet approval (pdf).
BCBC is set to authorise a tender for a design and build contract.
BCBC’s preference is that the existing design team – who’ve led engagement with pupils, staff and parents – would be retained by the appointed contractor, but this isn’t essential.
There are some other points of note.
Firstly, it’s unclear whether Harwood House (specialist residential provision) will be included. It’s being kept as an “option”, but it’s dependent on the available budget.
The council’s preference is for Harwood House to continue to be co-located with the school and it’s considered to be a priority for additional funding.
Secondly, any road and transport improvements associated with the new school would be funded separately via a dedicated BCBC budget (Highways Schemes Band B Schools).
The expected opening date has also been pushed back from (the very optimistic) January 2026 to some time during the 2027-28 academic year.
