Funding plan for new Hay school no longer involves developer (From Hereford Times)

Funding plan for new Hay school no longer involves developer

7:00am Thursday 14th March 2013 in News

HAY-ON-WYE could have a new primary school by 2015 – and it will be built without the help of private developers – should councillors rubber-stamp a plan next week.

On Tuesday Powys County Council will be “strongly advised” to approve a report seeking to cut ties with Gaufron Development’s proposal, after the group’s “best offer”

would still require significant council funding to build the 240-pupil school.

The initial proposal – to pay for the construction of a new school at another location in exchange for the rights to a retail development on the current site – was revised as the economic climate cooled.

The council’s executive leader, David Jones, called the modified plan “interesting”

but insists that without meeting the full cost of a new school it “does not appear value for money to the council or the council taxpayer.”

He said: “The council has been in discussion with a developer for some considerable time over a scheme that could have provided a new school.

“While initial discussions were positive, changes in the economy had a significant impact on the project’s viability, and the developer submitted new proposals last autumn which were not as attractive.

“We met recently with developers and asked them to revise their proposals and put forward their best offer.

“We have now received that offer and it does not meet the full cost of a new school without significant cost to the council.”

However the council says it remains firmly committed to both the project and the deadline, after a recent review of the catchment area clearly outlined the need for a new primary school.

The next step is to find funding itself.