08/07/22

Ambitious plans to increase the number of pupils at Pentyrch Primary School and establish 32 places in a new nursery unit for three-year-olds has moved a step closer.

After a wide-ranging public consultation process on the proposed changes took place in the winter, the plans were published in May.

Cardiff Council's Cabinet has now reviewed the objections at its meeting on Thursday 14 July and has approved the works going ahead.

Cllr Sarah Merry, the Council's Cabinet member for Education, Employment and Skills, said these were exciting times for Pentyrch. "The Cardiff Local Development Plan means that 41,400 new dwellings are being created across the city and there are a number of sites planned in north-west Cardiff that will have a significant impact on schools in the area.

"We expect one new primary school in the area to open in September 2023 and the expansion of Pentyrch will help cope with the local demand.  The plans will enable families in Pentyrch to access nursery education with wrap-around childcare, and can continue with their primary education on the same site, for the first time."

The cost of the Pentyrch Primary School expansion is expected to be met by contributions from builders working on the neighbouring Goitre Fach Farm development.

For objectors to the expansion, it was the expected increase in traffic that was most concerning. All of the four objections came from Pentyrch residents with one saying: "If the school expansion goes ahead, we would expect - at the very least - some yellow lines to prevent parking outside our house."

While it was recognised that there is likely to be an increase in traffic, it is also believed that the Council's commitment to develop an Active Travel Plan for every school by 2022 will support and encourage sustainable travel to the school and also "inform any improvements to on-site and off-site infrastructure required to facilitate active journeys."  It is intended that fewer families in Pentyrch would commute to other communities to nursery classes and primary schools.

In addition, the report stated that providing nursery places for the village would reduce the need to travel to existing nursery provision but also suggests:

• Creating parking restrictions to discourage short-distance car travel
• Improving facilities for walkers, cyclists and scooter-users, and
• Giving consideration to a ‘Park and Stride' facility to manage parking and alleviate traffic issues near the school

The school currently has capacity for 140 pupils but the plan intends to increase that number to 210, while the nursery would offer five half-days of pre-school education for 32 three-year-olds, with the new measures in place by the start of the school year in September 2023.