Councillor was verbally abused over homes plan on school site

AROUND 30 houses and flats will be built on a site of the former Aberdare Girls School, pictured below.

Councillors in Rhondda Cynon Taf approved plans for the Galdys Road site which will see the old school turned into 31 houses and flats.

It involves the conversion of the listed main school building and three outbuildings into 26 affordable homes made up of 25 flats and one house as well as the building of five two-bedroom bungalows for the open market.

Rhondda Housing Association (RHA) is set to help deliver the affordable housing part of the development and the bungalows will be sold on the open market.

The school is a Grade II listed building which opened in October 1907 and was listed in January 1991. The original plan had included 38 homes but the revised scheme is for 31.

The main school building will be kept and restored to provide 19 flats including three one-bedroom flats, 12 two-bedroom flats and four three-bedroom flats.

Five new-build two-bedroom bungalows will be located in the northern part of the site.

There are several other buildings on the site which will either be removed or replaced.

The council has received 11 letters objecting to the proposal over concerns about trees, parking and saying the development would be overbearing.

Local councillor Steve Bradwick said he is happy with the application now that extra bungalows have been removed from the plans.

He said: “It’s the only development that has caused me so much grief. I have had verbal abuse from residents.”

He said the housing is needed and urged the committee to support the application.

Councillor Pauline Jarman said the one disappointment was the exclusion of the bungalows from the social housing element of the site but that generally she supports it.

The listed building consent and planning application were both approved unanimously.