Morgan Sindall Construction is carrying out the new build, which will be located at Afan Valley Road, in Cimla. The main contractor held a steel signing ceremony this week to celebrate the erection of the building's new steel frame. Construction has been taking place alongside the existing school, which will be demolished upon completion.
900 students will benefit from 56 state-of-the-art classrooms, spread across a two-story, 97,000 square foot building. These will include creative workspaces, music and art rooms, and SEND facilities available for students with additional learning needs.
There will also be a number of sporting facilities available for use by the community; with plans for four MUGA courts, an activity studio, and a 3G pitch. Parking for both vehicles and cycling will also be built.
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The scheme has been procured through the South West Wales Regional Contractors framework, and is being delivered under the auspices of the Welsh Government's 21st Century Schools Programme.
Attending the ceremony were representatives from Neath Port Talbot Council, including leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Rob Jones. The local authority commissioned the project as part of its Strategic School Improvement Programme (SSIP), through which it has invested £123.7 million across ten projects.
The frame has been erected following an extensive earthworks operation, which included installing large concrete foundations. Work has now begun on the roofing and structural framing system for the building, to be handed over in May 2021. The overall project is expected to reach completion in early 2022, following demolition of the existing school.
Rob Williams, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: "We're incredibly pleased to celebrate this milestone with the local authority. Work is progressing well and the finished school will provide an inspiring modern learning environment."
Neath Port Talbot Council's Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Culture, Councillor Peter Rees, said: "As a council we pledged to provide each and every child in the county borough with the opportunity to access education in schools which are fit for the 21st Century. Our programme has been very ambitious but we are determined to provide our young people with every chance we can to enable them to fulfil their true potential in life."
(MH/JG)
