A Welsh Government announcement on meeting net zero targets is among the reasons given for the increased cost of expanding a school in Penarth. The cost of expanding Ysgol Y Deri in Penarth increased from £11 million to £12.1 million in 2021. Overall, the project will cost £21.94m, with the council contributing £5m.
At a council meeting this week, the ward member for Plymouth in Penarth, Cllr Rhys Thomas, asked for the reason behind the "significant" cost increase. The Vale of Glamorgan Council's cabinet member for education, arts and the Welsh language, Cllr Rhiannon Birch, said: "The costs associated with the Ysgol Y Deri expansion have increased since the project was first consulted on in November 2020. Obviously, a lot has happened in the world since then.
"The original anticipated cost was £11m. This was increased to £12.1m to account for the Welsh Government announcement that all new schools needed to be net zero carbon in operation." The Welsh Government's minister for education and Welsh language, Jeremy Miles, made the announcement in November 2021.
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A commitment has been made by the Welsh Government to reach net zero by 2050. The existing Ysgol Y Deri site is located near the top of Sully Road in Penarth. However, the proposed location for the new school is south of Penarth, on land at Lower Cosmeston Farm. Cllr Birch added: "Since the initial increase in the cost of the scheme, the council has submitted a full planning application and has produced a detailed design based on the relevant site surveys.
"The creation of the detailed design for the proposed building has resulted in increased costs for the project associated with construction. Furthermore, the construction sector has been significantly impacted by global events in the past two years, including he pandemic and the war in the Ukraine, which has dramatically inflated the cost of construction materials."
It is hoped that the new school will address the increased demand for places at the existing school. The existing school was originally constructed to accommodate 205 pupils but currently has 380 pupils on roll.
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