Plans approved for ‘first-class’ rebuild of town school

Councillors have welcomed plans for the redevelopment of Plasyfelin Primary School, in Caerphilly town, which backers say will create a “first-class” learning environment.

There was broad support for the project from a council committee despite a resident’s concerns about noise and loss of privacy.

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee voted unanimously in favour of the project at a meeting held on Wednesday July 9.

Morgan Jones ward councillor Anne Broughton-Pettit called the project “an investment for the future”.

It will provide “first-class educational opportunities for pupils” and there is “widespread support for the new school in the community”, she added.

However, local resident Dean Jones told the committee he was “one of the closest neighbours” to the school site and had concerns the new two-storey building had privacy implications for several bedrooms – and would “tower” over his garden.

He also alleged pumping equipment at the carbon-zero school would cause a “constant drone” and asked why they had been proposed for installation “so close” to his home.

Mr Jones added that he didn’t object to a “new school being built”, and wasn’t “simply a grumpy neighbour” – but asked the council to make some alterations to the plans.

Several committee members offered comments in support of the application, but Cllr Shane Williams asked officers to address Mr Jones’ concerns.

Council planning officer Helen Winsall said the project included work on a noise impact assessment, and acoustic fencing would be fitted around the equipment.

The proposed planning conditions also included noise mitigation measures, she added.

Ms Winsall said it’s “not denied” the decision to replace a one-storey school with a new two-storey building would be “a big change” for neighbouring residents.

But council planners did not judge the bigger building would have an “unacceptable impact” on them, she added.

“The building is far away enough, it’s not going to have an unacceptable impact [or] be overbearing on properties either”, she said.

Ms Winsall said the redevelopment “will replace the majority of the existing school” and lead to a “small” increase in maximum pupil numbers.

The first phase of demolition work is due to begin shortly, and the new school will be built in stages to allow teaching to continue at the site.

Some children will learn in temporary classrooms while work continues.