**Delay Announced for £17 Million Kenfig Hill School Project as Construction Timeline Slips**
A flagship new primary school in Kenfig Hill, with an estimated value of £17 million, has suffered a significant delay after Bridgend County Borough Council confirmed construction will not begin for several months—well after its originally anticipated opening this September. The project, designed to replace the existing Mynydd Cynffig Primary School, now looks to a fresh completion target in September 2027, extending the wait for pupils, parents, and staff in the community.
Council leaders formally agreed at a cabinet meeting on 13 May to begin seeking tenders for the major development. This marks an important milestone in a scheme which has been years in the making, and which first received a planning application submission in November 2024. Nonetheless, the enthusiasm was tempered by acknowledgements from officials that the project had proven to be “challenging”, rendering the original completion date unachievable.
The prospective development includes the demolition not only of the current primary school structure, but also the adjacent Air Training Corps facility and the Pwllygath allotment gardens. The new school is set to offer places for 420 primary pupils and a further 75 in its nursery unit, providing much-needed capacity in the growing village of Kenfig Hill. Outdoor sports will also benefit, with plans for all-weather pitches, floodlighting, solar panel installations, new play areas, and open green spaces designed to enhance the overall environment.
One of the more contentious aspects of the plan revolves around the Pwllygath allotments, which must be cleared to make way for the school’s construction. The relocation of these plots had already sparked public backlash in 2023, when plot holders were told they would be moved. Council representatives now emphasise that the project will see allotments reinstated at a new nearby site, addressing concerns over their loss and aiming to preserve this valued community resource.
According to officers addressing the council during this week’s cabinet meeting, the scheduling of construction works will need to be carefully phased. The new building’s development is intended to take place in stages, permitting the existing junior school to remain open throughout, and allowing for the altered arrangements necessitated by the allotment relocation. The council plans to invite tenders from construction contractors imminently, with the contract award and finer project timings to be formalised in the months ahead.
If planning permission is granted, possibly as soon as July, the council remains “reasonably confident” the new 2027 target can be met, according to officials. Such large-scale undertakings are invariably complex, and the Mynydd Cynffig rebuild reflects wider challenges facing local authorities as they strive to modernise educational provision whilst managing community expectations.
The Kenfig Hill scheme forms part of a much broader programme to upgrade educational infrastructure within Bridgend county borough. Other schools also face significant changes: Heronsbridge School, for example, is earmarked for relocation to a brand-new £22 million campus at Island Farm, while plans for a replacement Ysgol Bro Ogwr building, budgeted at £9.7 million, are under active consideration. Additional potential developments at Afon y Felin and Ysgol y Ferch o’r Sgêr signal an ongoing commitment to investing in the next generation’s learning environments.
Local reactions have been mixed. While many welcome the long-term investment in school facilities, there is frustration over revised timescales and the disruption caused by delays and the temporary loss of community assets such as allotments. The council, for its part, has promised clear communication as the next phases unfold, and insists that the improvements will ultimately deliver significant benefits for learners and local residents alike.
As the tender invitation period opens and planners prepare to revisit proposals during the summer, attention now turns to how swiftly contracts can be awarded and ground can be broken. With the promise of state-of-the-art education and sports amenities on the horizon, the Kenfig Hill community will await further updates and hope for a smooth construction process ahead.