Social housing could be built on Penyffordd junior school site

Social housing could be built on part of a former Flintshire junior school after the local authority offered to gift the land to the community council

Penyffordd junior school closed its doors in July 2019 after joining together with the infant school at a new multi-million-pound facility on Abbott’s Lane.

The old junior school building is currently still standing but said to be in a state of disrepair.

The site is under the control of Flintshire council’s assets department, it has now been proposed to gift the green areas of the former school to the community.

“It is hoped that part of the site will be used for social housing with the help of funding from Welsh Government.” Flintshire council said.

Other uses for part of the land include extending public green spaces for residents.

Penyffordd county councillors, Cindy Hinds and Alasdair Ibbotson, met with Cllr Mark Rothero, Chair of Penyffordd community council, today to celebrate the good news.

Cllr Ibbotson said: “There’s still work to be done, the community council will now need to accept the proposal and complete the legal process – but this is a major step forwards in efforts to expand the amount of public green space available to residents.”

“There’s then the question of what the future of this area looks like.”

He said: “The council is also moving ahead with proposals to develop the built up area for social housing which will help young residents start families without having to leave the village and older residents downsize without being forced away.”

“Cllr Hinds and I will continue to press for this to include bungalows to support this, and we look forward to further community consultation on this part of the scheme in future.” Said Cllr Ibbotson.

Leader of Flintshire council, Cllr Ian Roberts, said: “I am pleased that we have been able to make this offer to the community of Penyffordd and show our commitment to working with the community for the benefit of all local residents.”

Cllr Cindy Hinds, said: “We are glad to have played a role in ensuring this land is available to our community and have worked closely with Flintshire to gain new green space for our village.”

“Penyffordd has a lack of public green space and this agreement will help fix that.”

“We also welcome the fact that the built up area will be used for social housing.”

The new Ysgol Penyffordd school opened in the village in September 2019 following an investment of almost £7m, providing a modern facility for around 315 pupils aged three to eleven.

Work on the new build was carried out as part of the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Education Programme.