Planning councillors have given the green light for a brand new £6m primary school which will serve the children of Gorseinon for generations to come.
A proposal to unite the school on a single site at Parc y Werin in the heart of the community was approved on Tuesday.
Councillors were told the school would mean children in Gorseinon would be educated in 21st century accommodation for the first time, replacing a school currently located on three sites in ageing buildings – two more than a century old.
Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council, welcomed the decision. He said: “This has never been about losing Parc y Werin because the park is not being lost.
“This has always been about having a fantastic new school for the children of Gorseinon for generations to come. The new school will help protect and enhance the park and provide additional benefits for the whole community for play, recreation and sport.”
Pupils in Cwmbwrla and Manselton are already reaping the rewards of a new school at Burlais and the children of Gowerton are expected to move into theirs at the Elba playing fields in the New Year.
Cllr Stewart said: “We want for the children of Gorseinon what other pupils in many schools elsewhere already take for granted and the planning committee’s decision is an important step in that direction.”
The planning committee was told the footprint of the new building at Parc y Werin would cover about 6.5% of the park and that new pitches being created for the school would be available for community use.
A run-down play area at Parc y Werin will be replaced with a new one as part of the first phase of the building work and the committee was told Sport Wales has no objections to the proposals.
The committee was also told an in-depth review of traffic demonstrated there would be no increase in road safety risks due to the project.
And a traffic management plan also includes proposals to increase the number of children walking to school, which already stands at 48%.
Cllr Stewart said: “The report to the planning committee showed that the school would bring the best of both worlds to Gorseinon and Parc y Werin.
“Children will get the school they deserve and the community will get an enhanced park with plenty of green space to play and enjoy recreationally.
“The new school will breathe new life into the park, safeguarding it as a community asset for local people now and for generations to enjoy in the years ahead.”
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