Homes plan for old school
THE former Aberdare Boys’ School building could be turned into 98 homes, we can reveal
Rhondda Cynon Taf council has confirmed it is in negotiations to sell a section of the former boys’ school site to a local developer.
THE former Aberdare Boys’ School building which has educated generations of Cynon Valley families could be turned into 98 homes, we can reveal.
Rhondda Cynon Taf council has confirmed it is in negotiations to sell a section of the former boys’ school site, at Cwmdare Road, to a local developers.
The school was last used from September 2014 to May 2015 as the Cwmdare campus for the newly-formed Aberdare Community School, while the new ‘super’ school at the Ynys site was being built.
Generations of Aberdare boys were educated there, after the old grammar school was relocated to Cwmdare Road from Gadlys.
The school was last named Aberdare High School before the merger with Blaengwawr Com- prehensive and Aberdare Girls’ School to create Aberdare Community School.
A planning application has been submitted to RCT council, describing the development as: “[The] demolition of existing school buildings and the construction of 98 residential units and associated access engineering and landscaping works (including modified access to sports centre and Pupil Referral Unit) at former Aberdare High School.” Further details will become available when the council’s planning committee discuss the application at a later date.
A statement from the local authority added: “A section of the former site of Aberdare Boys Comprehensive School is under offer to WDL Homes, subject to approval of a planning application by the council’s development control committee.
“The well-used Community Sports Hall will remain on the site, which also now includes the newly-relocated Ty Gwyn Education Centre, which has been re-modelled following £1m investment as part of the Council’s £200m, three-year RCT Invest programme.” There is no news on the future of the Blaengwawr Comprehensive School site in Aberaman, which went up for sale alongside the Cwmdare Road buildings.
PLANS to convert the old Aberdare Girls’ Grammar School into flats have been recommended for approval and could get planning permission next week, despite neighbours’ objections.
In May we reported on Aberdare Developments Ltd’s plans to build 44 homes on the site – 26 apartments for the over50s, 16 bungalows and two houses – in a project which would bring the 1913 building back into use.
It shut in 2014 with the closure of Aberdare Girls’ Comprehensive School, and was sold at auction by Rhondda Cynon Taf council in July 2015 .
The developers are hoping to gain full permission for the development at a planning meeting on Thursday, October 6 – and the application has been recommended for approval by RCT council’s service director for planning.
But this recommendation does not consider an historic covenant, which is understood to say the building must be used for educational purposes.
The service director says the issue of the covenant is a legal matter and so is “outside the scope of this planning application”.
New details of the proposed development for the 2.87-acre site in Plasdraw have been revealed by the planning application.
The existing access from Cwmbach Road would be widened, while a separate footpath would be created.
A cul-de-sac access road would lead to homes at the back of the site, which would be built following the demolishing of the school outbuildings.
Parking for people living in the converted school building would be provided at the front and side of the building.
After Aberdare Developments Ltd revealed their plans in May, a group of local residents told us they object to the project .
They said the covenant should be respected, and the development would cause a loss of amenity to their properties.
They also said they would have to put up with 12 months of construction, while they did not want the additional street lighting near their properties.
Seven letters of objection have been received by the council over the plans.
Other objections include noise coming from
the apartments at times when the school used to be closed, that the bin store would smell and could attract vermin, that the development does not respect the pattern of properties around it, that trees would be removed to make way for housing, and that there would be a lack of off-road parking.
One letter of support says the old school gym and outbuildings – which would be demolished in the project – have become an eyesore.
In recommending the application for approval RCT’s service director for planning said: “The school is not required for its former educational use and its conversion for a residential use would retain what is considered a building of local historic and architectural character.
“Objections have been raised from local resi- dents with regard to a covenant that restricts the site to an educational use.
“However, this is a legal matter and outside the scope of this planning application.
“Significant objections have been raised by nearby local residents, particularly with the impact on residential amenity and the quiet enjoyment that they have enjoyed outside school hours. Issues of traffic, noise and loss of privacy have been raised.
“Whilst these concerns are appreciated, in planning terms, the impact on residential amenity is considered acceptable.
“The original plans have been amended to retain all the trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders.
“While there are some concerns with the long term future of trees on site (that would be retained) the applicant has agreed to maintain these in the future.
“As such, on balance, it is considered this issue would be acceptable.
“The residential development would have an acceptable impact on the character of the area and a suitable access and level of parking can be provided.
“Local residents have raised issues with regard the currently restricted parking bays to the front of the site.
“The proposals will however remove restrictions related to School Bus Parking in lay-bys to the front of the site and in addition public transport facilities will be enhanced.”