Plans for £50-million Abergavenny school – here’s how it could look

Plans for a new £50 million school for pupils aged three to 19 in Abergavenny have been launched in a public consultation.

A pre-application consultation has opened on proposals for an all-through establishment on the site of King Henry VIII School.

The new school will accommodate Flying Start, nursery, lower school, upper school and sixth form provision, with a capacity of 1,900 pupils.

Under the plans the existing school will remain operational until the new one is completed and ready for the September 2024 term.

The existing school will then be demolished, allowing for new sports facilities for the school and the community to be built.

The new school will replace King Henry VIII and Deri View schools.

Welsh medium school Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni will move to the site of Deri View school, allowing it to expand.

The all-through school will have 20 Flying Start places, 30 nursery places, 180 foundation phase places, 120 primary places, 600 middle phase places, 720 upper school places and 200 sixth formers.

Specialist provision for children with complex neurodevelopmental and learning needs will also be included, with 71 places provided.

Abergavenny Leisure Centre will be retained in its current location under the plans, but a separate gym will be demolished.

New spaces will also be available for community use, including a sports hall, sports pitches and classrooms for adult education.

The plans show that the lower school will be located close to a stream and woodland, to allow for a supervised forest school.

A new public pedestrian and cycle route is also proposed across the site.

A design and access statement says the development will offer a modern, net zero carbon building with a “high quality” design.

“Most importantly the development will provide contemporary high quality internal and external spaces in which to continue to deliver first class school education for the communities in and around Abergavenny,” it says.

A total of 369 parking spaces will be provided, including 126 for the leisure centre, as well as two pick up and drop off areas.

The cost of the development has previously been estimated at around £50-million, with 65 per cent of the cost funded by Welsh Government and 35 per cent by the council as part of its 21st century schools programme.

Plans for the nursery to be privately-run were scrapped by the council following a backlash, with maintained provision favoured.

The pre-application consultation runs until January 10, with details at bit.ly/3ykidOs.