Green light for £30m rebuild of Llangatwg Community School as council approves major new campus

The project will see the existing school replaced with a modern, purpose‑built English‑medium campus designed for up to 850 pupils, including specialist provision for learners with additional needs.

The new building will be constructed on the current site, but the council says the difference in quality will be “transformational”, with a focus on flexible teaching spaces, sustainability and facilities that can be used by the wider community.

The plans include state‑of‑the‑art classrooms, science labs, IT suites, a learning resource centre and roof‑terrace teaching areas. A new sports hall, performance hall, vocational workshops and conference rooms form part of the design, alongside extensive outdoor facilities including two sports pitches, three multi‑use games areas and a forest school.

The campus will also feature a greenhouse, an outdoor amphitheatre and dedicated food‑growing areas, with the council emphasising the school’s role as a community hub. New bus, car and taxi drop‑off zones, EV charging points and accessible parking are also included.

Council officers say the design has been shaped around sustainability and energy efficiency, with ecology, landscaping and drainage specialists involved from the outset. The project complies with the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning standards, which require modern, low‑carbon, future‑proofed school buildings.

Cllr Nia Jenkins, Cabinet Member for Education & Early Years, said planning approval marked a major milestone.

“Securing planning approval means we can now move forward with delivering a state‑of‑the‑art learning environment for pupils at the school,” she said. “This investment will provide modern, inclusive and sustainable facilities that not only support excellent teaching and learning but also benefit the wider community.”

The council says the rebuild forms part of a wider multi‑million‑pound programme to upgrade schools across Neath Port Talbot, delivered jointly with the Welsh Government.

Construction timelines and phasing details are expected to be confirmed later this year.