AFTER years of searching, a site may have been found for a replacement primary school in Llanelli.
Education chiefs in Carmarthenshire are exploring the feasibility of using the Llanelli Leisure Centre site for a new Ysgol Dewi Sant.
The leisure centre, Park Crescent, will relocate to the under-construction Pentre Awel health and well-being development at Delta Lakes.
Councillor Glynog Davies, cabinet member for education and Welsh language, said officers would assess the site’s suitability and develop a proposal to an outline planning stage.
“The outcome of the outline planning will inform the possibility of locating the replacement school building for Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant on the Llanelli Leisure Centre site,” he said.
Plans had been approved for a new Ysgol Dewi Sant seven years ago on recreational land in the Llanerch area of the town but the £9.1 million scheme was put on hold while the Welsh Government considered residents’ concerns.
Two years later, in 2020, the plan was shelved by the council following discussions with school governors and staff.
In July last year council leader Darren Price said a new school was a priority and that work continued to identify potential sites.
Speaking this week Michael Bassett, chairman of Ysgol Dewi Sant’s governing body, said it had waited patiently for a suitable site, as had other schools.
“We have trusted the process set by the authority of earmarking a suitable site and are pleased to hear that the authority is investigating a particular site in the hope that it will offer our school a suitable new home,” he said.
“A recent report by Estyn inspectors states that teaching standards at the school are of the highest standard, and I would like to thank all the school staff and pupils for their patience and excellent work. We very much hope that these early investigations will enable the school to develop and promote the Welsh language in the town.”
If the Llanelli leisure centre site is deemed to be a feasible location, business cases will need to be agreed by the Welsh Government and consultations will take place.
The current school, on Bryndulais Avenue, has around 440 pupils on its roll. Estyn inspectors visited in November last year and said the acting headteacher had high expectations of herself, staff and pupils which encouraged children to develop extremely positive attitudes to learning.
Cllr Rob James, who represents Llanelli’s Lliedi ward, said he was thrilled to hear about the latest developments. He said he and the late Cllr Anthony Leyshon, who attended Ysgol Dewi Sant, had met council officers to press the case for a new school over a period of years.
Cllr James said the leisure centre site had challenges and opportunities. “Moving forward, I am keen to hear from local residents, pupils, parents and teaching staff on the proposal to site the school on the current leisure centre land and ensure the council considers all opinions,” he said.
Cllr Suzy Curry, who represents Llanelli’s Tyisha ward, said she supported the new proposals on the proviso that a new access road was built to divert school traffic from Park Crescent and Old Castle Road.
Llanelli Town Council leader David Darkin said he backed the proposal in principle. “This would be a major capital project, if feasible, and most people would hope it could be completed in a reasonable timeframe,” he said.
Both he and Cllr Curry said they would not wish a new Ysgol Dewi Sant to be built at the expense of a potential new Ysgol Heol Goffa special school. No decision has been made about a new Ysgol Heol Goffa as yet following an independent review of additional learning needs in the area.
Llanelli MP Nia Griffith said she welcomed the Ysgol Dewi Sant proposal and also called for a new Ysgol Heol Goffa.
The town’s MS, Lee Waters, said he felt the council should have had a back-up plan for the Llanerch site proposal five years ago in case it didn’t go ahead, as it hadn’t, and urged it to have one this time round in case the leisure centre site turned out not to be feasible. “We can’t wait another half decade,” he said.
