PLANS to redevelop three primary schools in lower Rhondda Cynon Taf are set to go before councillors for a decision.

Three separate applications for new buildings for Pontyclun Primary School, Llanilltud Faerdref Primary School in Church Village and Penygawsi Primary School in Llantrisant are due to go before RCT Council’s planning committee on Thursday, March 10.

All three are part of an RCT Council 21st Century Schools funding bid to Welsh Government to provide the new buildings which the council hopes to deliver by 2023.

Llanilltud Faerdref Primary

The proposed redevelopment of Llanilltud Faerdref Primary School includes the demolition of all existing buildings and the building of a new net zero carbon school building and sports facilities, including multi-use games areas, a grass five-a-side football pitch and a 40m sprint track

It would also have a car parking area with 23 spaces including 10% electric vehicle charging provision and there would also be cycle storage.

No objections have been received and planning officers have recommended approval, saying it will bring a state-of-the-art facility to Church Village, which will be of significant benefit to the pupils of the catchment area.

They added that a wider community use proposed for some facilities will be an asset to all residents of the area.

They said the new building will form a marked improvement to the existing site and it is not considered the new building, or the wider development proposed, would result in a significant increase to impacts already experienced by neighbouring residents or to highway safety in the area.

Penygawsi Primary

The plan for Penygawsi Primary in Llantrisant is for the demolition of the existing school buildings and for a new net zero carbon school with a nursery and school sports facilities like a seven-a-side grass football pitch and two enclosed multi-use games areas.

The new school would accommodate 355 pupils, 310 between the ages of five to 11 and 45 nursery places with 29 full-time equivalent staff being employed.

28 off-street parking spaces (10% of which will include electric vehicle charging points) would be provided at a new car park area between the school building and the play facilities and there would also be cycle storage.

The report said the applicant has explained the existing school building was constructed in 1975 and has come to the end of its useful life; and it would not be viable to renovate/extend it to bring it up to Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools requirements.

There has been one objection which raises concerns about the close proximity of the new school to nearby houses and the potential for overbearing, overshadowing and overlooking.

It also raises potential increased noise levels, increases to the already high volume of traffic, potential anti-social behaviour in an “area of seclusion” between the school and the back gardens of houses, that it could exacerbate the waterlogging of people’s gardens, the impact of construction activities on neighbours and the value of surrounding properties being reduced.

But planning officers have recommend approval and said: “The new building and its associated development will bring a state-of-the-art facility to Llantrisant which will be of significant benefit to the pupils of the catchment area.

“The applicant also proposes a wider community use for some facilities which will be an asset to all residents of the town.”

Again, they said the new building will form a marked improvement to the existing one and they don’t think the new building, or the wider development proposed, would result in a significant increase to impacts in the area.

Pontyclun Primary

The Pontyclun Primary School proposal involves the demolition of all existing buildings and the construction of a new net zero carbon school building, with sports facilities like two enclosed multi-use games areas.

40 off-street parking spaces (10% of which will include electric vehicle charging points) will be provided at two new car parks and there would also be cycle storage.

The new school would accommodate 540 pupils, 480 between the ages of five and 11 and 60 nursery places with 39 full-time equivalent staff employed.

The planning report said the applicant has detailed the existing school buildings were constructed at various times in the past, with the earliest dating back to 1923 and the most recent in the 2000s.

It said that they have come to the end of their useful life and it would not be viable to renovate/extend them up to the standard required.

There have been nine letters of objection to this application saying it would be out of character with existing buildings in the area, potential overbearing, overshadowing and overlooking from its proximity to houses, Heol y Felin is already congested during school hours and the new development would exacerbate these issues and no thought has been given to the retention of the existing buildings adding that the 1923 building is of character and social significance within the community.

Other concerns focus on the construction period, pollution, a lack of notification for some properties and the potential for there to be hazardous substances in the existing buildings.

But again, planning officers are recommending approval and have said the development will “bring a state-of-the art facility to Pontyclun which will be of significant benefit to the pupils of the catchment area.

“The applicant also proposes a wider community use for some facilities which will be an asset to all residents of the town.”

They said the redevelopment works will result in a “substantial improvement to the visual appearance of the site” and they do not think it would result in a significant increase to impacts  in the area.

A temporary school building and associated infrastructure would be needed during construction.