**Frustration Grows as Cardiff School Remains Swathed in Scaffolding Years On**
A beloved Cardiff primary school has become a local landmark for an unfortunate reason: Roath Park Primary School remains shrouded in scaffolding nearly four years since major roof repairs first began, prompting mounting concern among parents and neighbours.
Originally built in the late 19th century, Roath Park Primary is a striking Grade II listed building, reflecting the city’s Victorian heritage. Repair work to its deteriorating roof began in 2021, yet progress has slowed to a crawl, leaving the steel frame a permanent fixture along the school’s façade.
With patience wearing thin, community members have launched a petition directed at the Welsh Government, urging ministers to allocate additional funding so Cardiff Council can finally bring the long-running repairs to completion. The petition, which has currently attracted over 600 signatures, claims that the drawn-out construction has negatively affected learning conditions, with classrooms described as darker and colder due to the obstructing framework.
The petition does not mince words, warning: “The school is at risk of closure. The council requires adequate funding from the Welsh Government in order for it to commit to a timescale to complete the works. The school is at risk of being overlooked until it’s too late.”
The matter of listed status complicates matters for Roath Park Primary. Cardiff Council acknowledges that this status brings added challenges, as restoration of historic buildings is both legally complex and financially demanding. According to the local authority, while several crucial repairs have been ticked off—including gutter and drainpipe restoration, vegetation removal, and stonework inspections—much remains to be done.
In a statement, a council spokesperson explained: “The scaffolding was installed as a health and safety measure to protect pupils, staff, and the public from falling masonry. This has enabled regular inspections, which revealed extensive stonework issues common in structures of this age. Completing all necessary works is estimated at £3 million, and this figure has posed a major hurdle in progressing at pace.”
In the past five years, the council has poured over £110 million into urgent school repairs throughout the city. Officials say they are keen to solve the issues at Roath Park, yet must juggle this within a “citywide asset renewal programme” that sets priorities based on building condition and available funds. Schools make up more than two-thirds of Cardiff Council’s estate, and there is now a policy preference for investing in new, modern school sites where possible—raising anxieties for those attached to historic campuses.
For now, the scaffolding’s continued presence also creates day-to-day inconveniences, with parents highlighting hazardous access routes at busy drop-off and pick-up times due to pavement obstructions. The council notes that further works are planned which should pave the way for removal of the scaffolding, but a firm completion date remains elusive.
Asked to comment on the petition and the wider issue of school repair budgets, a Welsh Government spokesperson responded: “School repairs and maintenance are a matter for local authorities. Over the past decade, £286 million has been awarded to local authorities for this purpose and a further £35 million has been set aside for repairs in this financial year.”
The future of Roath Park Primary has therefore become a key issue for the local community, testing the patience of families and putting civic pride in Cardiff’s architectural heritage at odds with the realities of tight public finances. As discussions between the council and the Welsh Government continue, parents and residents are left hoping that their historic school will not be among those left behind.