Powys County Council has appointed Kier as the preferred contractor for the proposed replacement building for Ysgol Calon Cymru in Llandrindod Wells.
The appointment marks an important milestone in the council's plans to provide a modern, fit-for-purpose learning environment for pupils attending the school, it said. This forms part of the council's strategy for Transforming Education in Powys, which aims to improve learner experiences and outcomes by investing in high-quality learning environments that support teaching, learning and wellbeing.
As part of the design and build contract, Kier will now work closely with the council, school leaders, governors and other stakeholders to develop detailed plans for the new building. The next phase will focus on designing a school that will contribute to the council's vision for a Stronger, Fairer, Greener Powys by creating high-quality learning facilities that support the educational needs of current and future generations of learners in Mid Powys.
Councillor James Gibson-Watt, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said:
“This is an important step forward in our plans to deliver a new school building for Ysgol Calon Cymru and another significant milestone in our Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys.
“By investing in modern, sustainable learning environments, we are helping to improve learner experiences and outcomes while ensuring our school estate is fit for the future.
“The project also supports our vision for a Stronger, Fairer, Greener Powys by creating high-quality educational facilities that will benefit learners, staff and the wider community for many years to come. We look forward to working closely with Kier Construction Western & Wales, governors and stakeholders as the detailed design work progresses.”
Councillor Gareth Jones, Chair of the Governing Body at Ysgol Calon Cymru, added:
“As a governing body, we are very pleased that the authority has appointed Kier Construction Western & Wales as preferred contractors for the design and build of the new school, and we look forward to working with them over the next 18 months on the detailed design of our replacement building in Llandrindod Wells.”
Ian Rees, regional director for Kier Construction Western & Wales, said;
“We are pleased to have been appointed by Powys County Council to support the development of plans for the proposed new Ysgol Calon Cymru.
“Kier has a strong track record of delivering high-quality education projects across Wales and we are already working with Powys County Council on the new primary school project in Sennybridge. That experience has provided us with a valuable understanding of the council's ambitions for education and sustainable development in the county.
“We look forward to bringing our expertise to the design phase and helping to develop proposals that will create an inspiring, future-ready learning environment for generations of learners to come.”
The replacement building is expected to provide flexible, inclusive and sustainable learning spaces designed to support the delivery of the Curriculum for Wales and meet the evolving needs of learners, staff and the wider school community.
