Coastal Housing plans for Glan Afan Comprehensive School site
Plans to redevelop the site of Glan Afan Comprehensive School, whose former pupils include actor Michael Sheen, have been revealed. Coastal Housing Group plan a mixture of new homes and commercial units at the school in Port Talbot which closed in July.
If approved the historic school building which fronts onto Station Road will be maintained with the structure being converted to accommodate commercial units with a ground floor front extension and six residential flats.
Other buildings from the rear of the school site would be demolished to make way for further residential and commercial units. In total the scheme would consist of 23 apartments and 20 houses. The proposed five commercial units extend to 2,751 sq ft.
The site is in a key location in the pedestrianised area of the town centre and near to the recently redeveloped Port Talbot Parkway Station.
Neath Port Talbot Council secured funding from the Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places (VVP) programme to undertake a number of Regeneration projects in the town centre, working alongside key partners.
Alongside VVP funding, it is anticipated that, if approved, the project will also benefit from significant support through the Welsh Government’s Social Housing Grant programme.
Gareth Nutt, director of environment said: “The redevelopment of the former Glanafan Comprehensive school site would help meet local demand for affordable housing.
“It would add to the vitality and viability of the town centre, helping to create a community where people can live and work.
“Together with the redeveloped Port Talbot Parkway Station and recently completed environmental improvement works along Station Road, if approved this development would help to provide an attractive gateway to the town centre.”
Glan Afan pupils will transfer to the new Bae Baglan super comprehensive for the new academic year in September. The planned school redevelopment is one of 11 proposed projects for Port Talbot as part of a three-year housing led regeneration programme which will see over £30m invested in and around the town centre.
Coastal Housing
A Coastal Housing Group spokesperson said: “Coastal Housing Group has submitted a planning application to redevelop the Glan Afan Comprehensive School site but as we are in the very early stages of the application process, we are unable to provide further comment at this time.
“As ever, Coastal are continually looking for regeneration opportunities across South Wales to breathe a new lease of life into towns and cities to benefit local communities, and Port Talbot remains an area which we are dedicated to.”