Plans approved for new school on St. Ederyn housing development

CARDIFF Council’s Planning Department has approved plans to build a new primary school at the St. Ederyn’s development to serve parts of Pontprennau and Old St Mellons, located east of the Pontprennau link road. The construction of the new school is expected to be ready for occupation in September 2022.

The new build school will be a 1 form of entry, accommodating 210 pupils including a 48 place part-time nursery, with the opportunity to expand to a 2 form entry (420 places) in the future. There will be a community centre linked to the school with a private entrance and interconnecting entrance providing benefits to the wider community.

In March 2019, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet agreed a recommendation to put forward plans to rebalance primary school provision in parts of North East Cardiff. This was due to the issue of surplus primary school places in the Llanrumney area and the need for additional places in Old St Mellons and parts of Pontprennau when the St. Ederyn’s housing development is complete.

As part of a strategic solution, the Cabinet agreed to explore plans to relocate St. Mellons Church in Wales Primary School from its current site in Llanrumney.

A spokesperson for Cardiff Council said:

“The development at St. Ederyn’s will generate a significant increase in the demand for school places in the area and the new school will ensure we meet that demand.

“In addition, the scheme presents the opportunity to relocate St. Mellons Church in Wales Primary School, providing existing pupils with access to an excellent, modern learning environment whilst helping to address the problem of surplus places in Llanrumney, which has placed a significant strain on school budgets in the area.

“The new school will have a community focus allowing the wider school community to benefit from the new facilities at the site.”

St. Ederyn’s is a development in the North East of the city as part of Cardiff’s Local Development Plan (LDP), which sets out the infrastructure required to facilitate and sustain the city’s growth up to 2026.

It was agreed that the school would be built by the developer, Persimmon, as part of the planning agreement with the Council, and funded through Section 106 contributions.

Martin Smith, Managing Director at Persimmon Homes East Wales, said:

“We are excited at this opportunity to assist in the delivery of a new Primary School at our St. Edeyrn’s Development.

“The school will complement the other community facilities being delivered by Persimmon Homes and will form the focal point of our St. Ederyns development.

“The development continues to be a huge success and hundreds of families are already enjoying living there, many of which are first time buyers taking the first step onto the property ladder.

“We remain on schedule and will be completing a further 450 new homes over the next 5 years.