High school to be rebuilt as plans are approved
PLANS for a £32m new Barry secondary school have been approved.
Whitmore High School will be knocked down so a new three-storey facility can be built in its place.
The new Whitmore High School would have room for 1,100 pupils, including a 200-space sixth form.
The new school, which will cater for mixed-sex pupils aged 11-18, will also have indoor sports facilities and an allweather pitch and games court that will be considered for community use.
Under the plans, approved by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, the new school will be built on the existing playing fields to the south of the Whitmore High School site.
The existing high school will remain open during the building work.
Gareth Hooper, of agent DPP Planning, told the committee the plan “represents a significant investment in modern, highquality learning environments that meets the school’s requirements.”
The existing school has 905 pupils, but it has capacity for 1,423, so the new school would have space for 323 fewer pupils.
The new school build is part of the Welsh Government and the council’s 21st Century Schools Programme.
It forms part of Band B of the programme, which is promising to invest £142.4m in the Vale’s school facilities.
Whitmore High is one of two Barry comprehensive schools to be completely rebuilt under the programme – the other being Pencoedtre High School in Barry.
The existing school, previously named Barry Comprehensive, was constructed in 1966 and according to the council’s planning application “is beyond economical repair”.