Consultation launched over relocation of Gwynedd school to new £5m site

Gwynedd Council is consulting on a proposal to relocate a primary school to a new site to increase its capacity to 150 pupils.

It follows support from the local authority’s cabinet to examine the proposal for Ysgol Treferthyr in Criccieth.

The proposed scheme would see an investment of over £5 million to relocate the school to a site on the west of the town effective from September 2023.

Around 65 per cent of the cost of the new school will be funded from the Welsh Government 21st Century Schools Programme, with the remainder from the council.

Surveys of the existing building have identified a number of significant defects meaning that the school is beyond repair and a new school is needed.

Councillor Cemlyn Rees Williams, Gwynedd Council’s cabinet member for education, said: “We are eager to ensure that children in communities across Gwynedd have access to the best possible educational resources.

“The current Ysgol Treferthyr building has seen better days and it would be uneconomical to continue to try and maintain the buildings for the future.

“Our aim is to build a new home for the school that will provide modern facilities for the children of Cricieth that will enable them to reach their full potential.

“We want to hear the views of the local community regarding the initial proposals.

“We look forward to hearing the views of pupils, parents, staff and the community on the proposal to build the new school for 150 pupils on the new site.”

The period of consultation follows a series of meetings at a local level with representatives from Ysgol Treferthyr.

As part of the discussions, consideration was given to building a school on several possible sites including the current location.

Following the dialogue, the preferred location for the new school has been agreed by members of a local review Panel as the site for consultation.

To have your say, visit www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/modernisingeducation – the consultation period will is being held between 6 November and 18 December 2020.

All comments received will then be reported back to Gwynedd Council’s cabinet.