New Swansea sports pitch to cost almost £380,000 more than expected

A new all-weather sports pitch in Swansea is likely to cost nearly £380,000 more than expected, but help could come from the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Last June council chiefs set aside £1.25 million for a new 3G pitch and fencing at Olchfa School, Sketty, but the project is now likely to cost £1.63 million – an increase of 30%. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet members have now agreed to allocate an additional £378,244 to fully fund the project. Cllr Robert Francis-Davies said the 3G pitch was really important for the school and the surrounding community, and that like many other schemes it faced a “perfect storm” of increasing costs and inflation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The construction of the 3G pitch was directly linked to the sale of eight acres of surplus school land at Olchfa, following a decision by cabinet in 2018. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A bid from a developer was approved in 2020 but it did not progress, leading to a second bidder – Morganstone Ltd – securing the land and exchanging contracts with the council the following year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Plans for 101 houses and flats were submitted by Morganstone associate company Westacres and approved by the council’s planning committee in April 2022. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Just over a third of the properties were classed as affordable, and the developer has to contribute £844,028 to the authority’s education department. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

According to the cabinet report, Morganstone has paid the council £1.425 million for the land and will pay a second, final instalment of the same amount early next year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report said the council could end up saving money for the 3G pitch, though, if the Welsh Government awards it £435,000 of “community focused schools” funding. Cardiff Bay officials have, it said, approved the £435,000 in principle. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report also said the school would need to set aside money to maintain the new pitch, which could be used by the community outside of school hours. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet approved £378,244 to be added to the budget, taking the scheme to £1.63 million. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Council leader Rob Stewart said: “I think this will be a great facility for the school.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​