Bro Hyddgen Business Case Submission

Ambitious plans to invest more than £20m in a new all-through school in Machynlleth will be submitted to the Welsh Government for funding, Powys County Council has announced. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Outline Business Case will set out the case for a new all-through school in the town with a capital investment jointly funded by the Welsh Government and the county council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Member for Schools, Councillor Arwel Jones said; “We are seeking funding to build a brand new multi million pound all-through school in Machynlleth, providing state of the art, 21st Century School learning facilities for local learners. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The conditions of the current school campuses, both secondary and primary, are far from ideal and only rates as C under the Welsh Government’s survey classification. Having looked at all the possible options we believe the best way forward is to build a new all-through school at the current Ysgol Bro Hyddgen secondary campus site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We intend submitting a business case to Welsh Government later this month setting out our preferred option and asking for approval for funding. Once we have formal approval we will be fully consulting on the proposal and on the school designs with the staff, governors and pupils of Ysgol Bro Hyddgen, and of course with the wider community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“If all goes well we hope to submit a final business case next summer after a contractor has been appointed and designs agreed. We aim to start construction in February 2018 and hope to have the new school open during the spring term of 2020.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The outline business case will be submitted to Welsh Government in late October with a decision on the submission likely in November. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​