Approval Granted for Expansion of Additional Learning Needs School in Rhondda Cynon Taf

The expansion of an additional learning needs school in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) has been approved.
The construction of a new teaching block at the Buarth Y Capel satellite site of Ysgol Ty Coch in Ynysybwl has been approved by RCT’s planning committee.
The teaching block will include six classrooms with associated breakout rooms, shared cloakrooms, hygiene room facilities, accessible WCs, a cleaner’s store, a server and maintenance store, and a plant room.
The development will also include new solar panels on the south-facing roof of the building, a new sprinkler tank and air source heat pump compound, a soft play area, the reconfiguration of the site layout to include a new one-way access route, 18 new car parking spaces to the north of the site with four new disabled spaces, a  six-bay covered cycle shelter, the removal of an existing demountable classroom building, a new bin store, and new security fencing and access control gates.
The new single-storey building would be to the eastern side of the existing school with which it would be linked by a canopy walkway.
The new block would have an external footprint measuring approximately 719 square metres and would be comparable to the height of the existing school building
The report said that there are currently 34 pupils and 19 members of staff based at the Buarth-y-Capel school site.
The planned growth of the school would have potential to accommodate an additional 60 pupils thereby increasing the school roll to 94 pupils.
The expansion would also see a total of 54 members of staff based at the site.
In recommending approval planning officers said the new school building would provide a much-needed modern ‘net zero carbon in operation’ additional learning needs facility as part of the council’s 21st Century
Schools Programme and would assist the council in meeting its statutory duties associated with the growth of pupils within Rhondda Cynon Taf requiring special school placements.
“The new building would be of a clean, modern, and attractive design and would create no significant adverse impacts towards the amenities and privacy of neighbouring residents.
“In addition the site landscaping scheme and the removal of a temporary building from the site would enhance the environment in and around the school whilst the revisions to the access and parking arrangements would improve traffic management both within and outside the site.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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