Welsh school set for approval

A NEW Welsh-medium primary school is set to be built in Cardiff.

The two-storey primary school for 420 pupils and 48 nursery places is set to be approved in Splott.

Planners will next week meet to discuss the application, which officials say should be granted.

The building, which would be in Lewis Road, would have two reception classes, a nursery and two groundfloor classrooms, with eight others on the first floor.

At the back of the school there will be a multi-use grass area, play area, five-a-side pitch, forest space and the existing grassland.

The only access for vehicles would be at the south-east of the site.

The car park will have 26 spaces as well as cycling spaces.

According to the Cardiff council application, the land is currently overgrown public space with tennis courts to the west and houses to the north and south. To the east are commercial units.

There are sculptures at the site which the council says it would remove while making a decision about their future.

There is a poplar tree which has “the potential to support bats” according to the application.

One local resident has objected saying there is already “traffic chaos” and raised concerns about prostitutes working nearby.

Another resident asks for pavements to be made safer for pupils to help with traffic concerns.

Officials say that the school will be within the “guidance amounts” for most people to walk to school.

They also add that it is of a “standardised design” for use on three sites across the city.

“The only real difference between the buildings would be the colour of the finishing materials proposed.

“While it is disappointing that a bespoke design tailored specifically for the site is not proposed, it is acknowledged that the standardised approach has been agreed.”

The item is due to be heard in the afternoon session of the planning meeting, which starts at 2.30pm on Wednesday.