No controversial aerated concrete in Swansea schools, council confirms

RAAC was a cheaper alternative to standard building materials used in roofs, floors and walls from the 1950s to the 1990s.

It was most commonly found on flat roofs, but can also be present in pitched roofs, floors or walls.

The material is now thought to have a limited lifespan, resulting in emergency works to reinforce or rebuild structures that contain it.

Swansea council has confirmed that none of its schools contains the building material, which has caused structural failures in public buildings across the UK.

In a public statement published online, a spokesperson for Swansea Council said: “You may have seen reports on the news that concerns around a type of concrete called lightweight reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is causing issues for some schools in England where it was used in their construction.

“Swansea Council had already surveyed all our school buildings for RAAC and we are happy to reassure pupils, parents and school staff that it has not been found in any of our schools.”

The news comes as two schools on Anglesey have been identified as having RAAC, Ysgol David Hughes and Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi.

Both schools will now temporarily close so that further safety inspections can be carried out and that alternative planning can take place.

The Welsh Government have said that all 22 local authorities in Wales are assessing RAAC in education buildings.

The Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles said: “Our main concern is the safety of pupils and staff. Since we became aware of these developments, we have been working urgently with Local Authorities and WLGA to make sure pupils and staff can go back to school safely.

“Some of the new evidence regarding the usage of RAAC was provided to Welsh Government last night. This was immediately shared with Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn to support them in their decision making process.

“We’re making these decisions together to keep staff and pupils safe. Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn and the schools are doing everything they can to minimise the impact on pupils. If any of this action affects you, you will hear directly from your school.”

Three wards at Haverfordwest’s Withybush Hospital were closed in August after concerns were raised about potentially defective concrete used in the building’s construction.