Work to start on 43 home development at former Port Talbot school

The homes on Devonshire Place in the town are being built thanks to funding support from the Welsh Government’s Social Housing Grant Programme. 

Linc is using Neath-based JG Hale Construction Ltd to build the homes, a mix of houses and apartments.  

Natalie Hawkins, Social Value Manager at Linc Cymru, said: “The school holds so many memories for the local community. Capturing and remembering these stories is a vital part of this regeneration project. 

“We’ve been awarded a £164,964 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help preserve the legacy of the building and the memories of residents, pupils and staff. 

“Materials from the school’s buildings will be reused to create a community artwork mosaic, there will be a 3D digital model of the school, an archiving and oral history project and an interpretation panel for residents and future generation to enjoy and to learn about What Once Stood. 

The project will use audio, video and photography to capture a legacy of the former school. 

Demolition will start at the end of April and take approximately 12 weeks. Work has started to sensitively remove internal fixtures and fittings to prepare the site for demolition.

Paul Stephens, Project Manager at Linc Cymru, added: “Alongside the heritage project we will working with our contractor to bring extra community benefits to the area. We will be talking to residents, groups and schools to find out if our contractor can support them in some way. 

”It could mean work experience placements, apprenticeships or another targeted project. We look forward to having these conversations and finding out what else we can offer during this project.” 

Linc Cymru recently completed a merger with fellow registered social landlord Pobl. The newly expanded group manages more than 23,000 homes in Wales, with plans for growth to deliver more than 4,500 new homes over the next five years. 

(Lead image: Linc Cymru)