Funding agreed for next wave of new schools in Bridgend County Borough
Poster information
Posted on: Wednesday 30 January 2019
Fresh from opening the sixth new school to be built in Bridgend County Borough within the last five years, Cabinet Members from the local authority are already planning the next wave of modern schools.
Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Calon Y Cymoedd opened at the start of January in Bettws, joining the adjacent Betws Primary School, Coety Primary School, Brynmenyn Primary School, Pencoed Primary School, and the Bryncethin Campus as new schools that have been built thanks to Band A of the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools Programme.
Funded on a 50:50 basis by Bridgend County Borough Council and Welsh Government, the programme has also enabled the creation of two new additional learning spaces at Heronsbridge School.
The council has now revealed plans to deliver five more new schools though Band B of the programme over the next five to seven years. New primary school provision will be built in the north east, south east and west of Bridgend County Borough, and a new 270-place special school will serve the whole of the county borough.
The Band B schools are estimated to cost approximately £68.2m. The Welsh Government will allocate £44.784m towards the programme with the council funding the rest.
Over a decade ago we recognised the need to modernise our schools and get a closer match between our aspirations for schools, the quality of their accommodation, and the projected number of pupils. It was also important for us to reduce surplus places and achieve the best value for money by making schools more efficient and sustainable.
We are extremely proud of the schools that have been delivered in recent years and look forward to creating even more first class learning environments that are fit for the 21st century.
The locations of the new schools will be based on the increasing demand for places, Welsh language provision, and building conditions. We’ll be announcing further developments soon.
Councillor Charles Smith, the council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration